Insomnia
by EpikalStorms
Summary: Sometimes you have to change your whole personality to reach your goal. What happens when that new personality becomes real? Suddenly, you have three consciousnesses in your brain. Then another joins them, and your mind is getting very crowded. Now you have to go to school? Of magic, with lots of people trying to keep your attention? Life just got harder for one Hitsugaya Toshiro
1. Diagon Alley

"Kiku? Hey, you alright?" Tom asked him worriedly. A few of the people in the next tables over turned around and frowned in concern. The child silently cursed, remembering he had a front to uphold.

"_Kiku Sohma" Yamamoto told him. "That is your alias for this mission."_

"Kiku" smiled shyly, a pale blush coloring his face. "Hai, Tom-kun. I-I am fine, arigato."

"_Keep quiet. Kiku is a small, shy, and helpless figure. Do not draw attention to yourself. That is not your goal, Hitsugaya-taicho."_

Tom, the bartender, regarded him cautiously. "You sure? You were kind of spacing out there, for a sec."

Toshiro sank down in his chair. Kiku Sohma was a Japanese transfer student, he reminded himself. He came to the Leaky Cauldron, the entrance to Diagon Alley, on a wet, rainy night during one of the worst lightning storms London had seen in decades. Toshiro hadn't minded the weather or temperature one bit, but Kiku had been absolutely terrified and on the verge of frostbite.

Tom and the guests had taken pity on him, immediately becoming his overprotective surrogate "older" siblings due to his shy, small, and literally helpless nature. He had been sick (stupid gigai, couldn't handle the cold) for about a week before he was able to get up and around again. Once he had, he quickly made a name for himself. Everyone _loved _the small, quiet, shy and adorable Kiku Sohma. They loved to protect him from the world's worst and least. One hint of danger, they went straight to Kiku to see if he was okay before anything else. It was completely impossible not to adore him.

Kiku nodded. "Hai. I am, r-really." He suddenly shivered. Seriously? There was only a slight draft in the room, but apparently his gigai wasn't over that cold (hypothermia) from the week before. Stupid piece of trash, stupid Kurotsuchi. Even _Hyorinmaru _was cooing at him.

**Poor little Master, **the zanpaktou hissed sympathetically. **He's cold.**

_Silence, Dragon_, Toshiro growled.

Tom frowned and left to find a blanket. He came back to find Kiku staring of at nothing again, his eyes glazed over with a soft frown on his face—as if he was almost pouting. "Kiku," he said softly, shaking the boy's shoulder. "Hey, Kiku."

Once again, he watched as the transfer's ice blue eyes cleared and came into focus. Kiku Sohma was a very good-looking child. He had platinum-blond, gently spiked hair and even paler flawless skin. If it was possible for a human to have stark white as a skin tone, Kiku had pulled it off to its highest degree. It was as if he'd never seen the light of day in his life. Ever. His lips were so pale a pink that they looked faded, but his eyes were as bright as the brightest star, possibly brighter. He was small for a third year, and thin—but not _skinny—_not so that you'd call him a stick figure. He had a fine, defined layer of muscle over his frame, but no one seemed to notice that. He usually wore a white turtleneck, a black vest over that, and black jeans that tucked into black horse riding boots. He was known to wear a black beanie that pushed his almost white hair down into his face; or sometimes, when it was cold, he wore a black jacket with a shadowy hood.

Kiku blinked a few times before looking up dazedly. "Hai?"

The others of the Leaky Cauldron had long gotten used to the boy's Japanese honorifics and greetings. It wasn't too difficult to accept him into any group.

Tom smiled. "You were doing it again." He leaned over and wrapped the blanket around Kiku's shoulders. "Are you that tired?"

A woman stood up from a nearby table and sauntered over and bent down to look the young teen in the eyes. "Kiku, sweetie, maybe you should think about turning in for the night?"

"I am—I'm not tired, Miss Gregovinci." Toshiro made his eyes flutter, and he bowed his head down before jerking it up again with a pale blush tingeing his face.

Miss Gregovinci smiled as Kiku sank lower in his seat and closed his eyes again. "Tom, I think he fell asleep."

Her friends walked over from their table.

"Aw, the sweet little thing, he must be _exhausted_."

"That chair _can't _be comfortable—"

"Kiku's so adorable when he sleeps—"

"I can't _imagine _how tired the poor dear must be—"

"Girls," Miss Gregovinci warned. "Quiet. Tom, be a dear and carry little Kiku to his room?"

Tom chuckled as he gathered the tiny third year into his arms. "Right-O, milady."

"Don't be smart with me, sir." The mousy-haired woman rapped her handbag on his shoulder. She stepped back as Kiku murmured something indistinguishable and shifted in the bartender's hold.

"Careful there, " Tom frowned. "You almost woke him."

He carried Kiku up the stairs to Room 11 and stopped to fumble for a moment, trying to slip the keys from Kiku's vest pocket. He nearly had a heart attack when a small, pale hand reached out and placed the silver key into the lock. Apparently, the man's jostling had woken up his cargo.

"Tom?" Sharp blue eyes peered at him curiously. Inside, Toshiro scoffed as the man apologized for waking him. These idiots were so gullible.

Kiku waved the man off with a yawn as he was placed on the ground. Tom bade him good night as he opened his door and pushed it shut behind him.

Toshiro walked over to his oak trunk and dug around until he came up with a medium-sized black case. Opening it, he lifted out a small vial filled with a black liquid. He pulled out the stopper and poured the contents out. Instead of spilling onto the floor like it should have, the liquid dabbed the air, as if filling an invisible and non-existent sphere, before beginning to low a soft blue. Toshiro waited for the sphere to flatten, before reaching out a hand to let the newly formed hell butterfly land on his finger.

After relaying a report to Yamamoto-soutaicho and seeing the small messenger out the window, the young soul reaper undressed into solid black pajamas and climbed into the navy sheeted bed. He reached over and pinched out the flame of the bedside candle, not even receiving a burn.

Honestly, why couldn't the wizarding world at least have electricity?

**-E-S-**

"Do you have everything, hon?" Mrs. Zabini asked. "Are you sure you don't want any help shopping for your school supplies?"

As much as Toshiro wanted to say no, he really did need help. Not that he'd admit it, but Diagon Alley was almost impossible for him to manoeuvre alone. Kiku would tell them, though, so it was all good.

"A-Actually, Zabini-san, I don't think I can do it by myself..." Kiku blushed and looked down as the woman's son, Blaise, smiled at him.

"Hey, it's all good, Kiku," the Slytherin fifth year assured. "We'll help ya with anything you need."

His mother nodded. "Yes, yes. It's quite alright, Kiku. Do you have your money to buy everything with?"

Kiku shook his head shyly. "Nashi. I-It is at that bank..." Toshiro had visited the wizarding bank two weeks earlier to re-activate a long unused account. The goblins there had literally worshiped him (Soul Reapers were about the only other sentient beings that treated goblins as equals) before he had explained he was on an incognito mission. They tried their best to hold back most forms of praise after that.

"Gringotts?" Mrs. Zabini asked. "Well, we'll go there first then. I still need to get an extra few galleons for Blaise's new broom anyway."

As they entered the bank, Kiku ran his eyes over the poem engraved above the entrance. A true work of art.

Hyorinmaru rustled his wings. **That'll keep any thieves away.**

_Unless they simply ignore it. _Toshiro replied. _Or just don't care._

**Let's give you some candy and watch. Bet you could clear every vault in under an hour. No, half!**

_Urusai, you stupid reptile!_

The goblin at the front counter looked up and, catching sight of Kiku, smiled as warmly as he could—which is to say, not too warm. "Ah, Kiku Sohma! Pleasure seeing you again."

Blaise and his mother stepped back, slightly surprised at the _friendly _greeting from the goblin. Kiku approached the counter with a shy smile. "Konichiwa, Troutdale. It is nice to see you again, too." **(1)**

"Your vault key?" Troutdale steepled his fingers.

"Hai." Kiku reached into his vest pocket and pulled out an obsidian, crescent design key and handed it to the old goblin.

"Large vault, his is." Troutdale nodded at Mrs. Zabini as he took her silver vault key. "About thrice the size of those Malfoy vaults all put together."

Blaise's jaw dropped. "Three times the size of all the Malfoy vaults _combined_?!"

The goblin tittered. "Is what I said, yes."

Blaise, still gaping, turned to Kiku. "Dude, you're loaded!"

Kiku shrank back, pressing into the side of the counter. Blaise's mouth clamped shut, and he leaned forward. "That was too loud—sorry."

The younger boy nodded quietly. Mrs. Zabini helped him stand again, and the three of them followed Troutdale to a side-door.

One extremely bumpy rollercoaster ride later—one that had even Toshiro impressed, and Kiku absolutely terrified with his face buried in Blaise's shirt and the older boy's arms wrapped tightly around him so he wouldn't fall out of the cart—the small group made their way to a vault door. It was steel, big, sleek, shiny, and had a lot of complex and complicated looking locks—enough said.

Kiku waited patiently outside with Troutdale as the Zabinis went inside to collect the necessary amount of Knuts, Sickles, and Galleons. Kiku risked a peek inside as the heavy door shut once more and saw three medium-sized neat piles of copper, silver, and gold coins.

"And now," Troutdale announced, "the Sohma vault—er, _one _of them."

It was impressive, to say the least. A completely obsidian door with locks of gold and silver gears. Hyorinmaru whistled. **Geez. If you have ever wondered where the much needed American gold standard went, now you know. Blame the goblins, it's always the goblins.**

_**Urusai, **_Toshiro seethed. _Your political jokes were always lame and they aren't funny now, either._

If Kiku hadn't know better, he'd have sworn Mrs. Zabini had gone into shock—Blaise surely looked ill—as the vault door slid smoothly open. The walls were lined with stacks and stacks of gold, silver, and copper coins. Mostly gold. The floors between held piles among piles of jewels, coins and other riches. The floor of the vault was so littered with the eye-catching stuff that the overall experience was like stepping into an ancient dragon's cave, except for the lack of human remains. It was as if they were in a world where the dust and dirt and soil were gold and the rain silver and the oceans and rivers were so cluttered with jewels of all shapes and sized and colors that there was barely any water.

Kiku pulled out a leather bag and slipped miniscule stacks of each coin, a fist-sized emerald, and a bar of silver inside.

Before Toshiro had died, he'd been Kiku Sohma: a young Russian wizard and heir to the power and riches of one of the last pureblood families of royal heritage remaining on the earth. He'd gone to Durmstrang to learn the art of magic, but had been assassinated by one of his father's enemies before he was even twelve. That was one of the reasons he'd been chosen for this particular mission. After centuries and centuries of sitting in the vaults of the banks, the Sohma fortune grew and grew and grew. Thank the gods for interest rates.

As the vault door quietly slid shut with a soft click, Blaise looked about ready to explode. "Th-There's _more_?"

Troutdale nodded, proudly clamping a gnarled hand on Kiku's shoulder. "Thirty-eight more, just like this one." He jerked his head toward the now-sealed vault.

Okay. A _lot _of interest.

Mrs. Zabini almost fainted.

Almost.

**-E-S-**

They stopped first at Madam Malkin's to get some school robes. Madam Malkin insisted that Kiku's be made of silk. "It's not every day I get to measure Japanese-Russian Royalty," she reminded him. Kiku had, unfortunately, lost that battle.

Mrs. Zabini had wanted him to try on some dragon skin boots, but he had completely disagreed. He made it extremely clear that he _liked _dragons, and refused to wear their remains as fashion.

He bought sea-serpent skin boots instead. Black ones. There was a difference.

**Sea-serpents, awful beasts, **Hyorinmaru agreed. **Chew with their mouths open, you know.**

He kept his black beanie, of course. Though most of his new robes did have hoods, as per request.

They went to Flourish & Blotts next. The salesclerk appeared horrified as Mrs. Zabini informed him that the shy little Kiku hiding behind her son was indeed a third year.

"That _book_!" he cried. "That bloody _book_! I'm going to lose my fingers!"

He soon—albeit reluctantly—disappeared and came back with a thick book tied together by a leather belt. It was _squirming_. And growling. Kiku stared at it. Then Kiku ignored it because Kiku had seen much, much stranger things.

He shot forward, slipped the belted tome from the clerks trembling hands and before anyone could stop him, began to stroke the spine with slender, pianist fingers.

The clerk stared at that. He stared and stared before reaching out his own hand to pet the book in the same manner, watching as it hummed contently. Silently, with a blank face, the clerk walked away.

Mrs. Zabini gazed after him. "What a strange fellow."

Ollivander's was their next stop so they could buy Kiku's wand. Mrs. Zabini and Blaise stood to the side looking uncomfortable as the young transfer held an eerie staring contest with the shop's owner. Needless to say, Ollivander, of course, lost.

"Oak, core of a manticore hair, 12-inches—" The old man immediately snatched that one away. "Nope, not that."

It went on like that for a while, the old man naming the sticks, handing them over, and snatching them away. It wasn't until the whole shop had iced over into a winter wonderland, the display of cabinets blocking the window had shattered, and Mrs. Zabini had grown wings that Ollivander came out with _it_.

**Oh, oh, oh! **Hyorinmaru cheered. **I **_**l**__**ike **_**this one!**

_It _was awesome, simply put. Pure solid gold with ancient-looking symbols running along the sides, engraved in silver. It looked Egyptian, but Kiku knew it wasn't. Too old, too—

"Atlantean," Ollivander hummed proudly. "This beauty's so ancient, even my grandfather didn't know what it's made of. It hasn't chosen a single master in over three millennium, probably more. Go on, give it a wave!"

Kiku grasped it, and Toshiro smiled as Hyorinmaru roared with delight. He silently worked a few spells he had mastered long ago, and the cabinets fixed, Mrs. Zabini's wings vanished (she pouted slightly. She'd been getting used to them, and she rather enjoyed the feel), and the shop stopped snowing as the frost and ice disappeared.

"Fantastic!" Ollivander clapped happily. "Wonderful, simply _marvelous_!"

Blaise shook his head in awe. "you must be one powerful dude, Kiku."

**Oh, you have no idea, **Hyorinmaru purred.

After paying Ollivander, Mrs. Zabini took them to Diagon Alley's ice cream parlor, and Blaise wanted to introduce Kiku to his friends.

"Hey, Blaise, who's the little guy?" A blond fifth year Slytherin asked, walking up to them as they neared the counter.

Kiku clutched Blaise's robed tightly, hiding behind the taller (_I said be __**quiet**__, you lousy dragon!_) boy. Blaise smiled back at him. "It's okay, Kiku. They're friends, not gonna hurt you, see? Nice." The blond raised an eyebrow, but decided not to question the odd statement as Kiku began to come out from hiding. "H-Hai, Blaise-kun."

The Slytherin smiled kindly before turning back to the group. "Guys, this is Kiku Sohma, the Japanese transfer student coming to Hogwarts. Kiku, these are my friends Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Rodger Goyle, Maleficia Pratt, Leon Wolfe and Will Gardener."

Kiku nodded. "K-Konichiwa."

Pansy smiled softly. "Aw, aren't you adorable!"

Maleficia giggled as Kiku hid his face in Blaise's robes once again. "A-Arigato, Parkinson-san," he managed.

"Friends, Kiku," Blaise reminded him.

_Yes, I __**get **__it. _"Right. G-Gomennasai, Blaise-kun."

Draco leaned forward to see him. "Hi, Kiku. Nothings gonna hurt you here, okay?"

Blue eyes peered up at him. "N-Nothing?"

"Nope," Draco smiled. "Not a thing."

Kiku was silent for a moment. After berating himself for how pathetic this character he had to play was, he released Blaise and was onto Draco in under a second, gripping his robes and hiding in his shadow.

Draco blinked a few times, before hesitantly reaching down to pat the much smaller boy on the head. Kiku turned to look around the Alley. He spotted a boy with black hair staring at them, along with a girl with busy brown hair, and a redheaded boy with freckles.

Tilting his head, he pointed the three out. "Who are they, Draco-kun?"

Draco followed his finger with his eyes and scowled. Kiku dropped his hand and gripped Draco's robes tighter.

"Potter, Weasly, and Granger." Draco sneered. "The Boy-Who-Lived, the Blood-Traitor, and the Mudblood. The 'Golden Trio' of Hogwarts." Kiku looked up at him and released his hold and slid back over to Blaise. Draco stopped scowling and looked down at him.

"What did they do wrong?" he asked shyly. Toshiro snorted. It was quiet obvious. Harry Potter was famous, so he got all the attention, and rich boy Draco didn't like that. He didn't tell this to Kiku, however, deciding that it would be best to let things play out.

**You know, **Hyorinmaru started cautiously, **this whole undercover thing is starting to look a lot like a split personality. Are you sure you can do this, Master?**

_Quiet, Dragon, _Toshiro growled. _Kiku's trying to listen. He can't do that with you blabbering in his ear._

…**Yup. It's official. I'm gonna start calling you guys Master 1 and Master 2.**

_I said __**quiet**__!_

**Ouch! Okay! No need to get violent!**

"Well, nothing _wrong _not actually," Draco started warily as the nine of them sat at a nearby table. "It wasn't until our third year..."

"Yeah," Leon put in as he licked chocolate off his spoon. "That's when they started acting like they were celebrities."

Pansy shrugged. "The first two years were pretty normal, I guess. But then during his third year, Potter caught a Dark Wizard masquerading as a teacher and defeated a basilisk with the Lost Sword of Godric Gryffindor. In one year. That's when they started thinking they were all gods or something."

Will leaned back in his chair as he finished off his cookie-dough. "Fourth year was about as quiet as the first two though. Except Potter was walking around like he owned the place all the time."

Kiku let go of Blaise's robes again and brought his knees to his chest. "Th-They don't seem so bad..."

"They are," Vincent grunted. "Trust me."

Rodger shook his head. "Not too friendly, just 'cause we're in Slytherin."

Kiku looked over again to see the "Golden Trio" get herded away by a plump, red haired woman with a loud voice.

"Hey, Kiku, why don't you show the others your wand?" Blaise questioned, trying to start up a conversation.

Kiku tore his gaze away from the scene and reached into his robes, pulling out the wand he had received earlier. The group, beside Blaise, goggled at it open-mouthed.

"Is that..."

"Pure gold?" Blaise smirked, crossing his arms. "Sure is. Wanna guess where it came from?"

Maleficia examined it. "Well, it looks a bit Egyptian, but, judging by the symbols—Ancient Greek?"

"Nashi," Kiku answered shyly with a shake of his head. "No."

"Well, where then?" Pansy murmured, stroking the wand with her fingers.

Blaise grinned. "Atlantis."

Maleficia's eyes widened. "No way, nu-uh, no _way_!"

"Way," Blaise said smugly. "Way."

After a while, Kiku put his wand away and listened to the group converse.

"So, Leon, you going to the World Cup?"

"Are you kidding? Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Top box seat, man!"

"Seriously? Aw, man, can you ask your dad to get us all top box seats, Draco?"

"I can try asking, I guess. I know my mum wouldn't be able to resist Kiku, maybe we can take him, too."

"Hey, Kiku, you going to the Quidditch World Cup?" They all turned their eyes to him.

He shrank back. "Nani? I-I don't know. Maybe. No."

"Why not?" Blaise shrugged. "You got enough gold to buy the stadium, all the teams, and live a thousand lifetimes in complete luxury."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Seriously."

Blaise nodded. "Oh, yes. Man, you should've seen his vault! Chock full of gold, and silver, and coins, and jewels, and diamonds—and there's more too! Thirty-something more vaults just like it! He's rich, obviously, but I bet even _he _doesn't even know how rich."

"Man..." Leon leaned back in his seat, tossing his empty paper cup and spoon into a nearby trashcan. "Hey, Kiku, not to sound pushy or desperate or anything, but do you think you could buy us all seats in the top box?"

Kiku shrugged. "Hai..."

They all swivelled their heads to stare at Blaise for a translation. The dark-skinned boy smiled. "That means 'yes', according to what I've been told."

They just couldn't stop thanking him after that.

Soon, Mrs, Zabini came to continue their shopping, and the teens said farewell.

They arrived at the pet store, since Blaise needed a new owl. Kiku hadn't really been planning on getting anything, but as he browsed curiously while Blaise looked for a suitable messenger, he came upon a cage that made his blue eyes widen.

Dragons.

Tiny, cat-sized, fire-breathing, adorable, beautiful, jewel-scaled _dragons_.

Caged.

... in a _cage_.

As his eyes landed on a small sapphire scaled beauty sitting sadly in the corner, Kiku, Toshiro, and Hyorinmaru couldn't take it anymore.

Kiku went over to the counter. "I want that dragon." He pointed.

The clerk looked down at him skeptically. "Dragons are extremely expensive, young man. I doubt you can affor—"

Kiku dumped his leather bag out on the counter. "I want that dragon."

The clerk gaped at him. "... Okay."

The sapphire dragon, aptly name "Rin", didn't seem so sad anymore and he perched on Kiku's shoulder and blew a blue-tinged flame out of its nostrils joyfully.

After that, Blaise finally got his new broom: a Nimbus 1002. Kiku had offered to buy the new Firebolt for him, but the older boy refused to take his money. The Japanese boy bought the Firebolt anyway, just in case his friend changed his mind later on.

Finally, the three returned to the Leaky Cauldron just as the sun was nearing the horizon. Tom and the other residents stared at Rin, who spouted a small flame before curling into Kiku's shoulder.

"So, anything interesting?" Tom ignored the small magical reptile and smiled at Kiku as the boy sat down.

"I bought a Firebolt in case Blaise changes his mind about the Nimbus 1002, and my wand was smithed in the Lost City of Atlantis about three millennia ago, maybe more."

"_**Atlantis?**_"

The young transfer and (deeply) undercover shinigami nodded.

"...smithed?"

"It's pure gold with silver engravings."

"...Awesome."

"Hai."

…_**Dragons and bats are way, way cooler, stupid human.**_

…_Hyorinmaru—_

**Oh, that's Murcielago. We're chilling.**

_**Sup, Shinigami?**_

…_I see. What are you doing in my mind?_

_**Well, it's not your mind right now, is it? Seems like that other personality took over for the moment. Hey, I didn't know you were schizophrenic!**_

…_Hyorinmaru?_

…**Hai?**

_No more play-dates._

…**Hai, Master 1.**

_...Stupid dragon—_

_**Hyo-chan, LOOK OUT!**_

"... Kiku? You're spacing out again..."

"..."

"Kiku?"

"I am going to bed. Arigato for the meal, Tom-kun."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**And there is the first chapter.**

**Yes, I named a goblin after a county in Oregon. Deal wif it.**

**Now, before all of you dear readers who have glued yourselves to my other stories, before you start mobbing listen to this:**

**Yes, I am continuing my other stories. I just needed to get this one up and running and off my back.**

**No, I am not abandoning Brother & Sister.**

**Yes, I am still **_**writing**_ **Brother & Sister.**

**No, you cannot borrow Steeve.**

**Period. He's MY plot bunny.**

**Now that we have that over with, please review! Reviews make me happy, and motivate me to continue stories! The title of this story is in no relevance to the actual story. The reason for the title is this: I write this during an all nighter, which I have been pulling many of this past month. **

**Another thing to take note of, and I'm sure this will all confuse you, is that this story is seriously AU. Here is the new timeline for any of you who is interested:**

**First year: Norm.  
Second year: Norm.  
Third year: Sorcerers stone and Chamber of Secrets.  
Fourth year: Norm.  
Fifth year: Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of fire.  
Sixth year: Order of the Phoenix.  
Seventh Year: Halfblood Prince and Deathly Hallows. **

**I'm sure that's it. Oh! And for those of you in the dark, here are some translations needed in upcoming or already there chapters:**

**Urusai—shut up**

**Guddoniato—goodnight **

**Hai—yes **

**Iie, or nashi,—no.**

**Arigato—thank you.**

**A HUGE THANKS TO MY BETA READER, Dragon Silhouette. YOUR WORK IS GREATLY APPRECIATED! I LUV YOU!**

**Arigato,**

**~EpikalStorms***


	2. Introduction to the Minid

"Hey, Harry." Ron nudged his friend. "Oi, mate. Look."

Harry bristled. "Cut it _out_, Ron! What?" The redhead had been poking and poking and poking him for the last five minutes. It was seriously starting to drive him up the wall.

"Isn't that the midget we saw with Malfoy at the ice cream parlor?" The second-to-youngest Weasley pointed across the room.

Harry Potter blinked, looking over. While shopping with Mrs. Weasley in Diagon Alley, he, Ron, and Hermione had come across a rather strange—and somewhat disturbing—sight: Draco Malfoy, hugging a child—who may have been a relative, if not for the oriental looks, but still. Hugging was something a living, breathing, human being with a conscience and emotions did. Not a Malfoy. It was... unheard of. Hermione had spent her time going over exactly how adorable the child was, while Harry and Ron had just wondered who the hell it was.

Across the room, on the other side of the Leaky Cauldron's dining hall, was that child, surrounded by Tom the bartender, most of the guest, and Blaise Zabini and his parents. At the moment, the Zabinis were holding a conversation with Tom while the child sat curled up at Blaise's side, perhaps sleeping. He seemed to be about year two, maybe younger, maybe older. He was wearing a black wizard robe over a casual outfit of black and white.

Harry had arrived with the Weasleys at the Leaky Cauldron to find that most of the residents adored the child. Harry found himself feeling protective after a while. It wasn't hard—the kid _was _adorable and cute.

As he was looking, the child woke up, and blue eyes met green. Harry looked away first. Ice. Like ice shards.

Mrs. Weasley looked over at him. "Harry, dear, aren't you hungry? A growing boy like you needs his food."

He smiled. "Yes, Mrs. Weasly. I was just distracted—Ouch! Ron! Stop _poking _me! I know, I _saw_! Now stop!"

"G-Gomen..."

They stopped talking and looked up in surprise. The child from earlier stood next to his chair, looking shy and nervous and—scared? Mr. Weasly smiled kindly, as Fred and George grinned in greeting and Ginny blushed and turned to star at her food. "Oh, hello. Who are you?"

The child shifted, staring down at the floor. "Um..."

"This is Kiku Sohma, Arthur." Tom came over to collect their dishes. "He's a Japanese transfer student that's going to Hogwarts this year."

"Oh, really?" Hermione squealed excitedly. She lunged forward into Kiku's face. "Oh, how exciting! What's Japan's magical world like? Do you have a Ministry, or an Imperial Serv—"

Kiku squeaked, falling back. Tom darted forward to catch him. "Kiku! Are you alright?" The bartender frowned at Hermione. "Careful, miss. He's a jumpy one."

She blushed. "Oh! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean—"

"I-It's okay," Kiku said quietly, moving over to clutch at Tom's apron.

Hermione blushed again, reaching out her hand. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry about that. It's okay, I won't hurt you—I'm Hermione Granger."

Kiku shrank back to hide behind Tom, blue eyes peering out at them all. "Konichiwa, Granger-san. I am Sohma Kiku."

Ron frowned as he bit of a chunk of chicken from a drumstick. "Why'd ya say your name backwards, mate?"

"That's how they do it in Japan." Hermione sniffed. "And don't talk with food in your mouth, it's unsightly!"

"It's nice to meet you, Kiku," Mrs. Weasly said kindly. "How do you like England?"

"It's awesome, right? You love it?" Fred grinned. George nudged him aside. "You've seen London yet? Sights are amazing—"

"—you wouldn't want to miss it. Do ya—"

"—like the food here?" George finished. "It's good, right?"

Kiku's eyes were wide. "I-Its...different. I'm not—not sure."

"Japanese diets are much more simple and compact than ours." Tom explained. "They're really healthy for you, actually, if a bit smaller in size. I've added a lot of new choices to the menu, thanks to little Kiku here."

"Oh, really?" Hermione breathed. "I didn't notice that—can I?"

Mrs. Weasly smiled happily. "We'll have some, thank you."

Kiku turned to look at Harry, who had remained quiet for conversation. "Y-You're Harry Potter," he said quietly.

The others stopped talking again and looked in their direction. Harry sighed. "Yes, I know."

Kiku stared at him for a moment. "... You're not mean, like Draco-kun said, a-are you?"

Harry looked up, surprised. "Huh? No, I'd like to think not. What did Malfoy—er, Draco say?"

Kiku wringed his hands. "He said you were judgmental o-of Slytherins—"

"_That's _'cause they're bloody gits—"

"_Ron_!"

"What? It's true!"

Kiku peered at them. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wand and—was that _gold_?

"Is that _gold_?!" Hermione squeaked.

"Hey, Kiku!" a voice hollered. The group looked over to see Blaise Zabini making his way toward them. He came and placed a hand on Kiku's shoulder, narrowing his eyes at the people sitting at the table. "What's going on?"

Kiku gazed up at the dark-skinned boy before grabbing hold of his robes and inching behind him. "I wanted to meet them, Blaise-kun."

Blaise frowned, pushing the Japanese boy further behind him. "C'mon, let's go finish dinner, hai?"

Harry and the Weaslys looked at the Slytherin, puzzled. _Hai_? What?

Kiku nodded quickly. "H-Hai."

"Konichiwa, Shiro-chan!"

The room grew quiet, and everyone turned to see a man with long white hair standing in the doorway.

Kiku gasped. "Akiyo-sama!" _Ukitake!_

**Hai! Does he have candy? Great, we can hit Gringotts sometime tonight!**

_**Hopefully it's watermelon or we'll have a problem.**_

_**Why **__are you still here?_

_**Chill, Shinigami. Master's in a pickle. I need a place to crash.**_

_. . ._

"Shiro-chan! Sore wa anata ni aete hontōni yoi kotoda! Ogenkidesuka?" The man smiled. The non-Japanese speaking people (the rest of them) tilted their heads and jumped as Kiku responded just as fast.

"Watashi wa yoku omoimasu. Ga, watashi wa ima Shirō-chande wanai, watashi wa kiku o shite imasu." The boy said excitedly as he ran over to the man and gave him a hug. The man, Akiyo, wore a black long-sleeved shirt, a white jacket, khaki slacks and black dress shoes. He carried a brown messenger bag on his shoulder.

The man looked taken aback. "Nandesuka? Watashi wa anata ga otorisōsa shite irukedo, watashi wa koko ni daremoga nihongo o rikai utagau..."

Kiku shrugged. "Hyourinmaru wa, tōgō shitchō-shō ni tsuite nanika o itta. Watashi wa kuwatoroesupada no ki nado, ima watashi no atama no naka de 3-ri kurai motte imasu."

Akiyo blinked. "Murcielago?"

Kiku nodded, reverting back to English. "She said she needed 'a place to crash.'"

"Hn. Sounds like her."

"Kiku, who is this?"

"Hm? Oh, g-gomennasai, Tom-kun!" Kiku bowed. "This is my sensei, Akiyo Watanuuki."

Tom stuck out a hand to shake "Akiyo"s hand. Akiyo frowned at it bowing to the bartender before grasping the outstretched greeting and giving it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Tom Ollivander."

Harry startled out of his shock, only to go into another. "Ollivander?"

The bartender smirked. "Yeah, the wand maker's my great, great uncle."

Akiyo nodded. "Konichiwa, Ollivander-san. It is nice to meet you." He turned to Kiku and handed him the messenger bag. "Sou-taicho told me to give you this. I can't stay now, though. It was nice to see you again, Shiro-chan!" The man waved, heading out the door. "Oh, and Matsumoto said to tell you hello for her!"

Kiku smiled shyly. "Tell her hello for me as well!"

"Hai!"

Then Akiyo left.

Kiku looked at his audience and blushed that pale pink shade. "G-Gomennasai. Goodnight." He hurried up the stairs with the brown messenger bag clutched tightly in his hands.

Harry stared after him. "Well, that was new."

**-E-S-**

**I **_**told **_**you it was candy!**

_**Does it really matter? I don't know Ukitake-san as well as you do!**_

**So? That doesn't mean you can back out of the bet!**

_**Yes, it does!**_

**Nu-uh! Hand it over, Murci-chan! I want that shiny emerald you stole from Master 2's bag!**

_Excuse me?!_

_**You just **__**had **__**to rat me out, didn't ya?**_

Please stop arguing, people in my head, I am trying to think.

_Anata o fakku, you weakling!_

_**You should start being nicer to him, Shinigami. He is another version of you, after all.**_

_No he's NOT. He's just an alias!_

_**An alias soon becomes an actually person with emotions if you have split personality disorder—**_

_Which I DON'T!_

—_**so I suggest you start treating him as an equal instead of just a tool! He's got feelings too, ya know!**_

**Murcielago's right, Master 1. Master 2 has grown his own conscience. Otherwise he wouldn't have be able to talk to us in this conversation, ne? Be nice!**

… _I hate you all._

Please!

Kiku rubbed his temples as hard as he could. The people inside his head were shouting again and it hurt a lot. Why couldn't they just talk pleasantly like normal people?

_We can hear your thoughts, Kiku. If you want us to be nice, show some respect._

That was the negative voice. From what Kiku gathered, he had been the one who had full control of this body before he had woken up. That voice, Toshiro, didn't seem too happy now that Kiku was in charge.

**Stop barging in on his musing, Master 1. Give him some space!**

That was the friendly voice. Hyorinmaru gave him encouragement and tried to ease up the tension he had whenever he got scared. Kiku liked him. He kept Toshiro in check and stopped him when he was about to start his silent (for everyone else in the world) rants.

_**Dammit, why don't you two stop fighting, eh? You're giving poor wittle Kiku a migraine!**_

That was the new voice. Kiku wasn't sure where it had come from, it just popped into his head one day. Hyorinmaru said they were friends, Toshiro thought she was annoying, and Kiku didn't know what to think yet. Apparently her master, Ulquiorra, was in a bit of trouble and Murcielago needed a mind to inhabit for a while. Murcielago was fun and nice, but sometimes she was sassy when she got angered. Kiku had learned a lot of new words from her but Toshiro said he wasn't allowed to use them.

_**Aw, glad to know you accept me! Living here will be much easier on my guilt now!**_

_**What **__guilt?_

_**Urusai, Shinigami!**_

**Kiku, you're still hungry. I think you should go back downstairs after you check the bag out and finish your supper.**

Hai, Hyorinmaru-san. Arigato.

**No problem, Master 2.**

Kiku reached down and pulled the messenger bag onto his lap, sliding his hands around the buckle and pulling the flap open. Inside was another case of ready-to-be-used hell butterfly vials, a big stack of paper, and a really high-tech looking cell phone with a touch screen and a note attached.

He picked up the black case and put it with his other in his school trunks. Toshiro said they were important because he used them to give reports to the Head Captain. Then he picked up the cell phone and read the note.

_Hitsugaya-taicho—_

_This phone has already been updated with all the apps we believe you will need for the mission. You will use it to track Hollow activity during your stay. Kurotsuchi-sama has made it magic-proof, so it will work within Hogwarts boundaries and other places in the wizarding world. If you reach any problems, please send us a hell butterfly and we'll get back to you as soon as possible._

_Arigato,_

_Nemu-fukutaicho, 12th division, Gotei 13, Seireitei._

_Well_, Toshiro huffed. _That helps, I guess._

**The proper words are "Thank you", Master 1.**

_Whatever._

_**Hey Kiku, see if it has Angry Birds!**_

Why are we going to Hogwarts at all, Toshiro-kun?

_Didn't you hear at the briefing?_

**He didn't exist yet, Master 1.**

_Ah._

_**Aw man, I love your mind!**_

_Sou-taicho was informed of a mass breakout of dangerous Hollows in magical Britain. The Shinigami who faced some said they seemed attracted to the condensed spiritual pressure of the witches and wizards and other magical creatures. He sent us to stay at Hogwarts so we can add our higher-level Spiritual pressure to the atmosphere and use the school as bait for the Hollows, since it's been too difficult to catch them all individually._

Oh, I see. But won't that put the students and teachers in harm's way?

_You're forgetting who we all are. The Hollows aren't that dangerous a breed. A captain-level Shinigami should be enough to protect the humans from danger even if the Hollows should decide to attack all at once. If we run into any difficulties, we can always call in back-up._

Hai. Okay, I get it now.

Kiku set the iPhone on the side table and reached in the bag for the stack of papers. There was another note attached to the top.

_Konichiwa, taicho!_

_Here is the paperwork you have missed! I am not smart enough to do it myself, and thought that a genius like you would be able to take care of it!_

_Arigato!_

_Matsumoto _

Toshiro seethed. _MATSUMOTO—_

Kiku winced. He was about to go on one of his rants again. Hyorinmaru-san, help!

**Now, Master 1, let's think about this. Obviously we all know how lazy your vice-captain is, so we should have been expecting this to happen sooner or later. Aren't you glad it happened sooner? Otherwise that stack would be a lot taller.**

…

**Master 1?**

… _I hate it when you're right._

_**Don't cha mean "logic's a bitch?"**_

_**Murcielago! **_Both the dragon and the Shinigami cried in unison.

_Don't teach Kiku new words like that!_

**Let's try to preserve his innocence, please?**

_**Urgh, fine.**_

What does—

_**'Nothing!' **_the three shouted. Kiku gasped and clutched his head, letting the stack of papers fall into his lap. Thank Kami they were all tied together. Ouch!

_**'Sorry'.**_

Kiku sighed, picking the stack up again and slipping it back into the bag. He'd work on it later. His eyes widened as his stomach began to ache. You were right. I _am _still hungry!

Hyorinmaru beamed. **I'm always right, Master 2!**

_**Don't push the boundaries of reality, Hyo-chan.**_

_Just because you're correct once doesn't mean that turtles can really out-race rabbits._

**They can too! And btw, it was a tortoise and a hare.**

_What difference does it make?_

**Excuse me? It's a HUGE difference!**

_**Boys! It's a **__**fairy tale**__**! Grow up!**_

_**He started it!**_

_Did not!_

**Hai you did! You began it with that little quip on my intelligence—**

_**And there you have it folks. The wise, powerful, and ancient dragon, Hyorinmaru!**_

Kiku wished he hadn't said anything.

After placing the messenger bag in his school trunks and headed down the stairs again. Tom looked up as he entered the room. "Kiku? I thought you were going to bed."

"I'm still hungry, Tom-kun..." Kiku blushed.

The bartender smiled. "It's okay, Kiku. I'll whip up something for you after I'm done clearing this table, okay?"

"Hai. Arigato, Tom-kun."

"Sure thing."

Kiku looked over and saw Blaise and his parents sitting at the same table he had left them at. Potter and the Weasleys were gone, though. He'd heard them talking upstairs in the lounge. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had sounded like they were arguing. Kiku thought he had seen Potter eavesdropping, but he didn't want to make any wild accusations, so he decided to ignore it.

"Hi Kiku," Blaise said as the younger boy sat down. "What was in the bag?"

"N-Nothing," Kiku said, gripping the Slytherin's robes and he looked at the cover of the book he'd been reading. "It was just some things I'd forgotten to pack."

_**Nice lie! **_Murcielago cheered. _**You're getting better at this!**_

**It's nothing to be PROUD of! **Hyorinmaru bristled.

Toshiro rolled his eyes. _Whatever_.

"Oh, cool. Okay." Blaise closed his book with a snap and set it aside. "So what're you doing back? I thought you were hitting the hay?"

Kiku frowned. "Nani?"

Mr. Zabini smiled. "It's a figure of speech. Means going to sleep, or turning in for the night. Going to bed?"

"Oh!" Kiku brightened. "I-I got hungry again."

"Oh, okay." Mrs. Zabini tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear.

"Here ya go, Kiku," Tom announced, coming over and setting a plate of Chahan and Onigiri on the table in front of the boy.

"Arigato," Kiku thanked him, picking up one of the rice balls and placing it in his mouth as Tom nodded and cleared the Zabinis' dishes.

"So, Kiku, you excited to be going to Hogwarts?" Blaise asked, running his finger along the spine of his novel.

Kiku nodded shyly. "I don't know... It looks a bit scary."

_Oh, grow up! How is it frightening?_

_**Shinigami! Be nice, or—**_

_If you're going to reside in my mind, you can call me by my name._

**Fine. ****Toshiro, ****why can't you—**

_That's not what I meant!_

**Please, Master 1—**

_Why do I even need to be Kiku for this trip? I don't see how being shy, quiet, or scared of everything in the world is going to help the mission!_

_**Hm. Sounds like your Head Captain just wanted to give you a hard time so he could have some laughs.**_

_You're joking—_

"Don't worry, Kiku," Blaise told him. "I'll be there, too. If need help or anything, just look for me, okay?"

"Wh-What if I get Sorted into a different house?" Kiku panicked. He didn't want to be in the same classes as the Golden Trio, they made him uneasy.

Blaise frowned. "Well, you could try asking the Sorting Hat to put you in Slytherin. That's what Potter did, except he asked it _not _to put him in Slytherin..."

"O-Okay..." Kiku slid down in his seat and picked up a spoon to eat the fried rice, or Chahan. "What is—what's it like there?"

"Oh." Blaise grinned. "It's awesome there. The castle is huge, and there's a Forbidden Forest, and a huge lake with a giant squid in it, and a city of merpeople. A tribe of centaurs live in the Forest, and I heard from Draco that there were werewolves and vampires and giant spiders in it too. Then there's Quidditch. I'm one of the Chasers for the Slytherin house team. There's an old rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor houses for as long as we can remember, and not just in Quidditch, as you saw. Hey! We need a new Seeker this year. You wanna try out for the position?"

Kiku shifted on his chair. "I don't know..."

**Master 2! It's flying! So what if it's on a cleaning appliance, do it!**

"O-Okay, I guess." Kiku blushed.

_**Geez, Hyo-chan, don't push him!**_

_We all love flying, Murcielago. If Kiku doesn't, then maybe I didn't create him at all. Maybe he's an evil by product of Kurotsuchi-taicho's experiment..._

Toshiro shuddered as he remembered. He'd been forced down to the 12th barracks so the Head Scientist could perform some tests on him and give him a chemical that would make his zanpaktou's solid form (the sword) disappear from its physical state and recede into his mind. Now he could call it forth with his mind or make it vanish again before anyone saw him, but that shot had been extremely painful...

"Really? Great!" Blaise beamed at him. "So you'll make some use of that Firebolt after all!"

Kiku shrank back in his seat. "I guess so..."

Blaise smiled at him, slipping his book into his hands again and standing up with his parents. "Anyway, I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow, Kiku. You wanna go to the train station with us?"

"S-Sure." Kiku nodded. "I don't even know where it is."

"Oh," the Slytherin laughed. "Right. Forgot. Night, then!" He waved as he walked up the stairs.

Kiku waved back. "Guddonaito."

He soon finished the Onigiri and Chahan, and brought the dishes over to the counter and handed them to Tom. "Arigato for the food, Tom-kun. It was good."

"No problem, Kiku." The bartender smiled warmly. "You going to sleep now?"

The boy nodded. "Hai. Goodnight."

"Night. Sleep well."

"And you."

Kiku quietly made his way up the stairs. He could hear voices, still. The Weasleys must still be arguing... Good thing they weren't loud.

Halfway down the hallway to his room, his foot caught on something on the floor and Kiku gasped as he fell to the ground. "Ow!"

"Oh, sorry Kiku! Are you alright?" Ginny Weasley knelt next to him. Her brothers looked back from down the corridor.

"H-Hai..." Kiku rubbed his head and looked down to see a rolled up newspaper. The headline read something about an escaped murder convict...

"Who is 'Sirius Black?'" He asked Ginny, picking the newspaper up and showing it to her.

Her face darkened. "He's a real bad murderer. Killed thirteen Muggles at the same time with one spell. He escaped from Azkaban a few weeks ago. No one knows how he did it, but now everyone's jumpy, since he's still on the loose."

"What's Azkaban?"

"It's the wizarding prison, one of the best. It's guarded by dementors. If you're bad enough, or commit a really bad crime, they say you're given the Dementor's Kiss, which sucks out your soul."

Kiku paled. Sucks out your soul? What were these dementors, wizard Hollows?

_This will be included in the next report we give to the Sou-taicho, _Toshiro told him gravely.

Hai, Toshiro-kun.

"Y-You're soul?" Kiku shivered.

Ginny nodded. "Mum and Dad are afraid that Black's after Harry. The Minister too. That's why he's staying with us. Dad's looking out for him." She helped him stand up.

"A-Arigato..." Kiku said. "I—goodnight, then. I'll see you... tomorrow?"

The redhead nodded. "Yeah, I guess. I'm going to Hogwarts, too. What year are you in?" she asked as she walked with him to his room.

"My third." He hugged himself. "And you?"

"Fourth. My brother Ron's in his fifth, and Fred and George are in their sixth year. My older brother Percy graduated his seventh last year. My two older brother's Bill and Charlie are out of the country working jobs. Bill works at Gringotts in Egypt, and Charlie's a dragon trainer."

"Dragon?" Kiku perked up, sliding his key into the doors lock. He could hear Rin on the other side, scratching at the panel.

"Yeah." Ginny raised an eyebrow at the odd noise but ignored it as the younger boy opened his door. She gasped as Rin came flying out to land on Kiku's shoulder. "Dragon!"

Kiku smiled. "Hai. His name is Rin."

Ginny stared at it in amazement. "Wow... Aren't those really, really expensive, though?"

Kiku blushed. "I-I have... a large amount of riches in Gringotts. My parents left the entire Sohma inheritance to me after they...um, left."

"Oh," Ginny said, sadly. "I'm sorry."

Kiku nodded, not liking to dwell on such things. "It's okay. I've got Akiyo-sama."

"That man with the long white hair?"

"Hai."

"Oh," she nodded. "Okay. Well, goodnight then." He nodded as she walked away, and closed the door behind him. Rin leaped off his shoulder and wrapped around the bedpost before closing his eyes and blowing a tiny smoke ring from his nostrils. Kiku dressed in black pajamas and pinched the candle out before climbing under the covers.

Guddoniato.

_**Nighty-night, Kiku sweetie.**_

_Hn, night._

**Goodnight.**

Kiku decided that having other people in his mind was weird before drifting off to sleep.

It was going to be a long day tomorrow.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**So, how was it? Good? Great? Waffles? XD I thought so. Here are the translations:**

_**It's good to see you again! How are you?**_

_**I am well. Although, I am not Toshiro right now. I am Kiku.**_

_**What? I know you're undercover right now, but I doubt anyone else here speaks Japanese...**_

_**Hyorinmaru said something about schizophrenia. I have about three people in my head right now, including the zanpaktou of the cuatro Espada.**_

**There you go.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Once again, i must thank my fantastical beta Reader, Dragon Silhouette, for their awesome, much needed work! You're amazing!**

**I actually went to sleep last night. Given, it was only for about four hours, but I was actually unconscious! O_O* Record!~**

**Arigato, please leave a review so I know I'm (or my story) is liked and loved,**

**~EpikalStorms***


	3. Terror

I'm sure some of you have already guessed the pattern by now, but for those of you who are unsure, here is a guide to the mind speech:

_**Murcielago.**_

_Toshiro._

**Hyorinmaru.**

Kiku.

_'Sorting hat.'_ (This particular format will be used whenever someone other than Kiku's usual mind inhabitant invades his head. Thus, the Sorting Hat will speak with this. If Professor Snape decides to check out the new guy, He will be speaking in this way as well, and so on.)

Anyhow, here's to a new chapter! *fistbump*

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Nightmares were not fun. They were terrible, really. Especially if it was happening to a dead person. Who happened to be in a living body. Just the strain from that could cause night terrors, but nightmares were even worse.

See, bodies were like containers, and souls were their contents. The Chain of Fate was like the lid that kept the contents from falling out. Once the lid was opened, it would be extremely difficult to screw it back in place.

So technically, gigais were living, breathing, working bodies that were almost identical to that of an actual human save for the sole facts that they were scientifically developed and could hold in the power of a Shinigami.

Of course, there were more reasons for a Shinigami to have nightmares. Even more so if one was an ancient and powerful zanpaktou. If one happened to be the demon sword of an ex-Vasto Lorde, then bad dreams for most of one's life was a given. And having nightmares goes without saying if one was the assassinated son of one of the most powerful and envied man in Russian history. Now, if all those thoughts, memories, visions and tremors were placed in one body and made them share a single mind, nightmares and night terrors and tortured flashbacks were inevitable.

So Kiku could be excused if he woke up in the middle of the night screaming bloody murder—which was what he did.

… _**I've always hated that memory. Sorry, guys.**_

_Remind me why we had to get stuck with you again? That terrified even __**me**__..._

**Did that really happen, Murci-chan? Please say it didn't!**

Kiku made a soft whining sound in the back of his throat and clutched his pillow to his chest. His breaths came in short, fast gasps.

There was a sudden pounding on the door and Kiku jumped, crying out. He brought his knees to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. Then a scratching sound and more thumping came from the door.

_It's okay, you baka! It's just someone at the door!_

_**Go answer it, Kiku! It's fine! Please don't be scared, sweetie...**_

**Shhh, little master. Everything's fine. You're safe!**

The door flew open, and footsteps came running toward him. "Kiku! Are you alright?"

"Is he okay? Blaise! Is he okay?"

"What happened? I heard screaming..."

"Omigosh, Kiku, what happened? Kiku!"

A hand came and touched his shoulder.

"Kiku? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Blaise Zabini asked softy, hearing the younger boy whimper. Watery blue eyes looked up at him through the darkness. Blaise put his arms around his younger friend. "Hey, shhh. It's alright, Kiku, you're okay. See? Nothing to be afraid of."

Kiku lunged forward and clutched the older teen's shirt. He buried his face into his chest and started to sob. Blaise held him close, murmuring words of comfort. "It's okay, Kiku. It's alright, you're okay."

_**Hey! He's pretty good at this! Look, Hyo-chan! Kiku's calming down! Maybe we should invite this Blaise-kun guy in here so—**_

_Absolutely not. This mind is crowded as it is._

**That is partially your fault, Master 1—**

_I'm not the one who invited that bat-demon in here!_

**Yes, but you were the one who brought Kiku back into existence.**

… _U-Urusai! I was never like that!_

_**Hn! Suuure...**_

As Kiku calmed down, Tom came into the room. "Hey, what's everyone doing up in here?"

"Kiku was screaming, Tom," Ginny Weasley told him. "We were just seeing if he was alright."

"None of that, none of that. He's fine, see?" The bartender pointed at the half-asleep Japanese boy curled up in Blaise Zabini's lap. "Off to your rooms now, all of you. Give him some quiet! He doesn't need you all crowding around him!" The man waved them off and began to move about the room, lighting the lamps and candles. Soon, there was a soft orange glow bouncing off the walls and the room was empty save for Tom and the Zabinis.

"Kiku, hey Kiku..." Blaise murmured, before glancing up at his parents. "He's fallen asleep again."

Tom stretched. "Well, hopefully he won't wake up like that again. Scared the living daylights outta me. Goodnight again." He nodded and with a worried frown cast at his young Japanese client, he disappeared out the doorway.

Mrs. Zabini sat at the end of the bed. "How did you get in here anyway, sweetheart?"

Her husband nodded. "Yes, I thought the door was locked..."

Blaise nodded at the small, silver dragon that was frantically pacing the floor. "Rin opened it from the inside for me. I don't know how. That little guy's pretty smart if you let him be."

They stared at the tiny creature in surprise. Rin snorted, scaling up the side of the bed and curling around the post, small white rings of smoke snaking around his head. Beady black eyes stared back at them from his perch.

"I see..." Mrs. Zabini murmured. She tore her gaze away and peered at the delicate looking boy in her son's lap. "Well, we best be getting back to bed. Do you want to stay here?"

Blaise nodded. "I don't want to accidentally wake him up again. He looked really tired at dinner last night."

His father rolled his shoulders back, letting out a sigh as a pop sounded. "Okay. I expect you to be up early later this morning, though. Alright? We have to get you to the station before eight."

"Yes, Papa."

Glancing back one last time, the two adults left the room and closed the door quietly behind them. Blaise looked down at the tiny form in his arms. Sighing, he pulled the blanket over him and his friend and turned his head to blow out the candle. His chest muscles contracted with a dull pain as he tried to hold a cough in when the white smoke hit him in the face. A beam of moonlight shone through the window making the hazy strands gleam with silver.

"Well, goodnight Kiku." The Slytherin sighed, leaning back into the headboard and closing his eyes.

**(1)**

**-E-S-**

Kiku sighed, pressing his back into the cushion as the train rocked him back and forth. He ran his mind over all that had happened that past week. He'd gone to the World Cup with Blaise and his friends, and had had a rather good time up until the Death Eater attack. He'd been attached to Blaise for the most part, so he didn't see anything besides the green signature written across the stars, but he'd been terrified. Draco had held him away from the "Death Eaters" when Blaise had left to search for his parents. He'd been laughing, but stopped abruptly when Kiku hugged him around the waist and asked him to stop. That was after the Golden Trio had shouted at him, after Hermione had led them away when he saw that their accusations were frightening Kiku.

Then there was last night. Or rather, that morning when Kiku had woken up hugging Blaise Zabini. He'd been confused, but nodded in understanding and thanks when he had been told what had happened. Thankfully, he didn't remember the nightmare he had had. He didn't want to.

Blaise sat across from him now, reading a novel. Kiku recognized it from the night before at the dinner table. Next to him sat Draco, who had absentmindedly slung an arm protectively around Kiku about fifteen minutes earlier. Pansy, his girlfriend, sat on the Slytherin prefect's other side in the window seat with her head on his shoulder as she slept. Will and Leon had struck up a quiet conversation with Maleficia, whispering so they didn't wake the other girl.

Hearing the escape of breath, Draco looked down at him and tightened his arm unintentionally. "Kiku?"

The third year shook his head. "N-No. Nothing."

The blond hummed, nodding. "Mmkay." Then he shifted and rested his head on his girlfriend's, closing his eyes tiredly.

Kiku hugged the older boy's arm to his side, blinking dazedly.

_**Sweetie, if ya need to nap, then nap! What's stopping you? **_Murcielago asked.

_Urusai, bat. Let him think. _Toshiro huffed.

_**Don't call me a—**_

**Now, you two. Let's have a quiet day, please? **Hyorinmaru pleaded.

The two sighed. _**Fine.**_

Kiku shook his head as their voices faded a little, becoming slightly echoed. N-Nani? What?

**I made them go into the snow cave. Inner world, there's a lot of places in here.**

Oh, I-I see. Arigato, Hyorinmaru-san.

Kiku let his thoughts wander once again, thinking back to just before the Hogwarts Express left. He had been examining the scene with his eyes while Blaise was saying goodbye to his parents when he had caught sight of Harry Potter talking in hushed tones with Mr. Weasley off to the side. His wife was ushering her children aboard the train, casting glances over at the two every five seconds. Mr. Weasley had looked insistent, but Harry must have said something that surprised him because then he waved it all off with an "oh, okay" and told him something gravely, like a warning, before quickly pushing him toward the train.

Kiku frowned, pushing Draco's arm out of his lap and pulling his robes around him tighter. He'd ask Blaise about it later, perhaps.

The train ride was a long and quiet one. Almost silent, in fact, save for the small discussions the children held. They had purchased some snacks from the vendor lady about an hour before, and now most of their compartment's occupants were asleep.

Kiku jerked awake as the train slowed to a stop. Draco blinked and looked out the window. They all frowned. They weren't at Hogwarts yet, so why were they stopping now?

Kiku suddenly let out a strangled gasp, and their gazed were immediately on him, concerned.

"Kiku, wha—" Blaise shivered, feeling the impossible coldness and depression that had settled over the train. The compartment door slid open and Kiku screamed. There was a... a _thing _standing there. Floating there. It looked like a stereotypical Grim Reaper—except it had no scythe. It raised its _hand_, which was a gnarled, boney, gruesome thing, and reached out for the Japanese transfer. Kiku started to cry.

_So, that must be a "dementor." _Toshiro mused, aghast.

Hyorinmaru nodded. **Seems like it. Horribly ugly, isn't it?**

_**Yikes. That things needs to visit a spa, **_Murcielago quipped, making a face. _**Or read a magazine. I mean, seriously? Black, shadowy and mysterious robes are like, so twelfth century!**_

Kiku felt his knees start to shake and become unsteady. Pansy shrieked as the thing made its way further into the small cabin, pulling Kiku into her lap before he could fall to the ground. The small Japanese boy coughed weakly, eyes glazing over. He felt himself quickly losing consciousness.

Through the haze, before it all went completely black, he heard a gruff voice shout, "Expecto Patronum!"

Then he went under.

**-E-S-**

"Kiku? Hey, Kiku, wake up."

"Kiku, sweetie, can you hear me?"

"C'mon, wake up..."

"Give him some space—move aside, kids."

Kiku felt himself being lifted up into a sitting position, though he didn't remember lying down in the first place. He felt a hand smooth back his hair and accidentally knocked off his hat. With a startled gasped, he lurched forward, eyes snapping open. Blaise, Leon, Pansy, Draco, Will, Maleficia, and a tired, weak-looking man hovered over him.

The man stepped back, pulling the others with him. "Okay, give him some room to breathe." He fumbled in his pocket for something and pulled out a candy bar He peeled of the wrapper and snapped off a piece, handing it to the Japanese boy. Kiku stared at his hand, not moving.

Blaise heaved a sigh. "Kiku, this is Professor Lupin. He's our new DADA teacher. A friend—he's not gonna hurt you, okay?"

Kiku stood quietly and slowly took the treat from Lupin's hand. He placed it in his mouth, letting it melt on his tongue and was surprised to feel that heavy feeling of loneliness and sorrow and terror lift off his shoulders. He was so relieved that he started crying again.

"Kiku!" Blaise frowned, looking at Lupin accusingly as he pulled the boy into a tight hug. "You said it would help him!"

"Oh, it is." the man said, but he looked worried. "But I think that he may have been affected more directly by the dementor. I'm going to the front to see if we can speed our journey up. He should see Madam Pomfrey."

Draco shifted, looking concerned. "Will he be okay?"

"Probably," Lupin assured, heading out of the compartment. "But I want to be sure. Can you seven meet me up front when we get to the Hogsmeade station?"

Pansy nodded. "We'll be there."

Kiku sniffed, leaning against Blaise's chest. The tanned boy looked down at him, his honey-colored eyes concerned. "You alright, Kiku?"

He nodded warily. The people in his head were being strangely quiet. "H-Hai."

_**We **__**are **__**still here, by the way. Just thought you'd want some, ya know, time to recuperate.**_

_I thought you said you'd be quiet?_

_**I was!**_

Kiku closed his eyes.

The train started moving again, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence. Kiku sat in Blaise's lap, eyes closed. Gradually, he began to regain most of his color and he looked much better by the time they reached Hogsmeade. Lupin was surprised. "Oh, he looks fine now. Maybe we don't need to take him to the infirmary after all!"

The others sighed in relief. Blaise, who was carrying the sleeping third year bridal style, which was drawing many strange looks, smiled. "Thanks, Professor Lupin."

The tired-looking man waved the words aside. "Anytime. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He walked away to meet a wizard nearby in dark red robes.

Draco looked at his friends. "Well, let's go."

They made their way up to the Hogwarts castle, quietly as to not wake Kiku. As they entered the Great Hall, many students stared at them with raised eyebrows. Blaise swallowed and chose an empty area at the Slytherin table, smiling as his friends loyally sat beside him. He laid Kiku across his lap as the Hall filled with students and noise. He frowned, placing his hands over the sleeping boy's ears, so he hopefully wouldn't wake. Draco stood up and waved over Vincent and Rodger when they came walking through the big double doors. As they sat down, Kiku began to shift, and he soon opened his eyes and looked around blearily.

Maleficia giggled. "Why, hello there, sleepyhead."

Leon reached out to place a hand on his hair. "Sorry, it gets really loud in here."

Will rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that tends to happen when you put over two hundred kids under the age of eighteen together in one room."

The smaller boy blinked, scooting out of Blaise's lap, still clutching his robes. Draco moved over to make room for him to sit on the bench.

At the head table, the headmaster stood up, and silence reigned. Dumbledore smiled warmly, sweeping out his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Welcome to another great year at Hogwarts, my dear students! Let the Sorting commence!"

The big oak doors opened and a line of fresh first years filed in with their simple black robes and anxious looks on their faces. Kiku watched them proceed silently and mass into a big group at the front of the Hall. That was where he should've probably been. He clutched Blaise's robes tighter in his fists, and the wavy haired youth glanced down at him before returning his attention up front. After the Sorting Hat sang it's song (_What the hell? I thought those things were just supposed to have __**rabbits **__or something! _Toshiro wailed), the Hall became silent again.

"Abigailis, Bella," The headmistress started. A young, mousy-haired girl ran forward to the stool in the middle of the front and sat down, pulling the old, worn hat on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat immediately shouted. The girl hopped down and ran toward the cheering table.

"Acelinda, Brea."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

It continued like that until all the first years had been sorted into their respective houses, with Kiku jumping and inching closer to Blaise each time the hat yelled a decision. After it was finished, Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands together, beaming. "It is my greatest honor to announce that this year, we will be introducing a new change to our numbers! He has come all the way from the far-off country of Japan to attend our humble Academy! For the first time in centuries, the Japanese Imperial Service of Magic has come out of their self-isolation and is mingling with the outside world! Please welcome Kiku Sohma, our very own Japanese transfer student, to the front, if you will."

There was a thundering applause as students murmured loudly to each other in excitement. Kiku dove into Blaise's lap, holding his robes so tightly his knuckles were turning pink. Blaise chuckled, pulled Kiku up and led him to the front of the room. Dumbledore smiled at them, his blue eyes twinkling. Blaise patted Kiku on the head. "Kiku, chill. This'll be quick, I promise. Just tell the hat you want to go in Slytherin. Should be no problem, right?"

Kiku squeaked as the older boy stepped back. The hall grew silent as Kiku turned to face them. He waved a small hand, and greeted them shyly. "K-Konichiwa."

There were a few squeals heard among the crowd, and many girls, if not all, had looks of "aw, that's so adorable" on their faces.

Professor McGonagal hefted up the Sorting Hat and plopped it on Kiku's head. The young boy squeaked at it slid down over his eyes.

_'Why, hello there. Oh? There seems to be more than one conscious in this being...'_T he hat stated, sounding surprised as it began to tickle Kiku's mind.

Hyorinmaru growled threateningly as Murcielago hid behind his tail. **There is no room here. Go away, and leave my Masters alone!**

_**Eeek! Oh, Kami, I feel kinda violated!**_

_Do what you must, then leave quickly, _Toshiro hissed. _You are testing my patience._

_'Wow. No friendly greeting? Well, okay then. Hello, Kiku Sohma. Mind introducing me to your friends?'_

Actually, Hat-san, I do not believe we have th-the time for such greetings. Blaise-kun said to be quick, ne?

_'Okay then. Do you have any requests?'_

May I be put i-in Slytherin? I want to be with Blaise-kun and Draco-kun and their friends.

The hat agreed. _'Very well. I actually believe you will do well in—_

"SLYTHERIN!" The last part was shouted out for the whole Hall to hear. Kiku jumped off the stool and threw the hat from his head, eyes wide. He raced over to Blaise and latched onto his robes once again as he heard disappointed groans amongst those in other houses while the Slytherin table cheered loudly. "We got the transfer!"

"Awesome!"

"Take that, you Gryffindors!"

"Whoohoo!"

Blaise grinned as he led him back to their seats. Draco stood up and gave him a hug as they sat down again. "Welcome to Slytherin, Kiku."

Kiku smiled shyly and jumped as his robes changed colors. He stared down, wide-eyed, as a silver and green trim magically ran its way along the silk robes he was wearing.

"A-Arigato."

There was a small roar and the inhabitants of the hall made noises of surprise as a sapphire blur flew down to rest on Kiku's shoulder. The boy smiled. "Konichiwa, Rin."

"Is it an owl?"

"No, it's a bird!" someone gasped.

"An owl _is _a bird, you bloody git."

"Oh. Heheh, right."

"Dude! It's a _dragon_!"

"No way!"

"Way!"

Rin blew a white ring of smoke out of his nostrils. Dumbledore clapped his hands and the Hall grew quiet again. "I have many announcement to give you now!" he told them excitedly. "First off, the Quidditch Cup will be moved farther a few weeks." There were groans of displeasure. "This is due to an event that will be starting in October and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy, but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts—"

The great oak doors suddenly banged open as lightning flashed. A man with a wooden leg came trekking in. A painful silence grew as the auburn haired man with a mechanical eye and a flask at his hip walked up to the head table without a word.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, Professor Moody, and Professor Lupin," said Dumbledore, slightly too cheery, as he gestured toward the new man, and Professor Lupin, who was sitting a few seat away from him. "Professor Lupin will be teaching our younger students, while Professor Moody's class will be focused on more dangerous tactics, and therefore is subjected toward our older students." There was the faint sound of a small number of people clapping, but it died down quickly.

"As I was saying, we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year!" Dumbledore continued. "The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us." He waved a hand. "Another thing, I must warn you all—" This cut the excited whispering off abruptly. "—we will be having dementors guard the school this year," Dumbledore announced, sounding far from his cheerful self, "as they search for the missing convict, Sirius Black." The whispers were back on and stronger than ever now. "I assure you that they are not going to harm you—they've been ordered not to go near a student—but I must ask you to avoid them all the same. Now, with that, tuck in! Schedules will be handed out first thing tomorrow morning." He waved a hand.

Mounds of food appeared on the table and the students began to dig in, talking amongst themselves. Draco reached for a pear. "Dumbledore must be really desperate to allow dementors in school grounds. That must have been why they were on the 'Express." He cast a wary look at Kiku, who'd gone quiet and pale. "You alright?"

The Japanese boy nodded weakly. "H-Hai... though, I am not hungry."

Blaise frowned. "That might have been one of the symptoms Professor Lupin told us to look out for. If you're not eating by tomorrow, I'm taking you to Madam Pomphrey's."

Draco nodded. "Hopefully it's just from the excitement. I'm never too hungry on the first day of school either."

"It doesn't help that there's always a big feast the first night, either," Pansy added.

"Can you at least try eating something, Kiku?" Rodger asked. "Maybe a Onigiri—I thought I saw a plate of them somewhere..."

"Here it is." Leon passed a dish of rice balls over to him.

"Arigato." Kiku said with that paper-pale blush of his.

They all nodded absentmindedly.

**Man, I'm hungry...**

_You're always hungry. Don't start complaining now._

_**What about me? I'm not always hungry, what happens if I complain?**_

_Simple. I kick you out. Kiku will help me. Right Kiku?_

Kiku shifted on the bench, clenching and un-clenching Blaise's robes. G-Gomen, Toshiro-kun, but I am not sure I am good at kicking people out...

"Kiku? You're spacing out again." Will was waving a hand in front of his face. People were already beginning to leave the Great Hall and head upstairs to the dorms. "You tired? Maybe we should go to the Slytherin dormitories now..."

Kiku's eyes fluttered of their own accord. "Mhm..." he sighed, leaning against Blaise. The older Slytherin chuckled, lifting him up and the group left their seat. "Let's go get you to bed. You can sleep in my dorm tonight. Don't want you getting nightmares on the first day of school, do we?"

He was already asleep. Maleficia giggled softly. "Aw, he's such a cutie. Anyway, by guys, see you in the morning!" She waved, dragging Pansy behind her after the girl kissed Draco goodnight.

"Night, girls," Vincent hollered.

They all disappeared into their respected dorms. Blaise, Draco, and Leon shared one, so theirs was one bed vacant. Blaise placed Kiku in there and pulled the covers over the small boy. He watched as Rin climbed up above to lie lopsidedly atop the "roof" of the bed as he pulled the curtains shut. He smiled. "Guddonaito, Rin. Sleep well, Kiku. Night, Draco, Leon!"

"Night."

Blaise climbed in bed and pulled his own curtains shut after he had dressed in his pajamas. He fell asleep soon after.

Now, only Murcielago was awake. She sighed, lying down in the snow of Kiku's mindscape and moving her arms to form a snow angel.

_**I wonder how Master's dealing with things...**_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx**

**There's chapter numero three! Hope you enjoyed it. This was also written during sleep deprivation. Did I majorly screw anything up? I hope not.**

**(1) No, No, NO! This is NOT a slash fic. If you want it to be, I suppose it could seem like that, but in reality it is not so. Just majorly fluffy brotherly lurve! Thank you!**

**Well, I can't think of anything witty or badass to say for this author's note, so please review!**

**Arigato!**

**~EpikalStorms***


	4. The Matron

Flutes. Music. That's what he heard. Smooth, delicate, the sound of flutes. From what Toshiro told him, it was Celtic. Hyorinmaru, who was older, said it was Irish/Welsh/Scottish. Murcielago didn't care either way.

_**It's lovely. Makes me sleepy. I think I'm gonna—**_

Well. Now they've found her weakness.

Kiku opened his eyes. A ray of sunshine was peaking through his bed's curtains, and he could see the particles of dust dancing in the air. Someone was playing the flute out on the other end of the room he was in. At first, he couldn't remember where he was, but as he woke up, it all came rushing back. The train ride. The dementors. The Sorting. The Feast. School. Hogwarts.

He sat up and stretched, yawning.

Murcielago giggled sleepily. _**Aw, you're so adorable when you yawn, Kiku. It's a little "o" shape, like a newborn kitten does. So cute!**_

Toshiro's eye twitched.

He felt a little cold, which confused him, since his comforter looked baked by the sunlight peeping through his curtains. He should be sweltering, but instead he felt like he was in his, and Toshiro's, Inner World, with the snow and ice and frost. **(1)**

He rubbed his face blearily and crawled over to the side of the bed, pulling open the curtains. Near the window, which looked out over the lake, Blaise and Draco sat with Leon in a circle in the small sitting area, watching and listening silently as Leon played the flute.

Kiku sat there unmoving for a moment, listening. He was really good, it sounded a little like the music notes were flowing down a river through the air. The sound twirled up and reverberated off the walls, giving the feeling that there were more than one flutes playing the same tune.

He slowly slid off the edge of the bed and crawled behind Blaise just as Leon played the last note—a strong, low sound which he held out for about three second before ending it in a breathy silence. Blaise and Draco clapped softly.

"Woah," Draco said in awe. "You _are_ amazing..."

Leon blushed. "It wasn't _that_ good..."

"You kidding?" Blaise asked him, appalled. "It was _great_!"

Kiku sneezed, and the three older boys jumped in surprised. Blaise cried out, lurching forward and spinning around to look at him. "... _Oh_, it's just you. Wow, Kiku, you scared me!"

"G-Gomen." Kiku blushed, "I am sorry..."

"No, no, it's fine." He waved it off. "Did we wake you?"

Kiku nodded hesitantly, leaning forward to grip the Slytherin's robes. "I-I'm cold, though..."

Draco's head snapped up, and he looked at the younger boy incredulously. "Cold? It's like an _oven_ in here!"

Leon frowned. "Now hold on there a minute, Draco. This might be one of the symptoms Professor Lupin told us about. Ithink we should take him to Madam Pomfrey. Look," he reached out to touch Kiku shoulder, "he's shivering."

Kiku sneezed again, and he sighed, leaning onto Blaise's arm. He felt those feelings again, the ones that he felt back on the Hogwart's Express. Not as bad, but... bad.

The dark-skinned boy wrapped an arm around his shoulder, looking down at him. "C'mon. Get dressed and well go down to the infirmary together, okay?"

He nodded.

Toshiro gave a cat-like yawn. _Stupid dementors. I don't see why they need to come at all._

**Dumbledore said something about that mass murderer, Master 1. They're here for a reason. **His dragon reminded him.

_Right. Sure._

_**Mhm... **_Murcielago murmured.

Kiku stood up and walked over to his trunks. He pulled on his usual outfit and shoved his arms into the sleeves of one of his non-silk robes. Silk was cold, it didn't keep him warm. He reached for his skullcap and pulled it on over his head so it was almost covering his eyes. He tugged his robes tighter around him and shuffled over to a chair to wait for the others. He pressed his back into the cushion after he sat down and closed his eyes. The cold made him sleepy.

_You should stay awake._ Toshiro advised him thoughtfully.

Murcielago huffed. _**So what if he's tired?**_

**Well, **Hyorinmaru mused. **We don't exactly know how those dementors affected him. I'm not entirely sure he should have skipped going to the infirmary.**

_**That wasn't his fault! **_She seethed. **_He was napping!_**

_Like now? _Toshiro let out a dark chuckle. _He fell asleep again._

He was right. When Kiku had closed his eyes, just for a moment, he'd fallen into a deep state of unconsciousness. Blaise chose that time to walk over. He gazed down at Kiku worriedly before picking him up in his arms, just as he had the night before. This kid had somehow became his little brother in the short span of two weeks, and he wouldn't let anything hurt him. Not even the cold that wasn't there. Leon came over with Draco a few moments later and raised a crimson eyebrow. "He fell asleep again?"

"Yeah," Blaise nodded, handing Kiku to Draco, who looked surprised. "I'm gonna carry all of our book bags." He explained. The surprised look vanished, and the blond nodded, tightening his hold on his new cargo. **(2)**

As they walked down the corridors to the Infirmary, they were stopped by many other Slytherins inquiring about Kiku's well being. A few students from other houses looked on in concern, but felt off about approaching a Slytherin on friendly terms.

The three continued on, carrying Kiku to the infirmary. As they walked through the door, a plump witch glanced up and let out a huff, frowning. "Already? Why, you kids are just impatient, aren't you? Oh! Isn't that the transfer? What happened?" She shot out questions like bullets as she stood and prepared one of the white sheeted beds that lined the room.

"He was attacked by a dementor on the train yesterday—" Leon began again, only to be interrupted

by Madam Pomfrey's scolding. "Attacked? By a dementor? Why didn't you bring him here last night then?!"

"We were going to!" Draco told her. "But when we got off, Professor Lupin said he looked perfectly fine again, and that we should put it off until we knew for sure."

"He's been just about fine since then," Blaise continued. "Except, he didn't eat at the Opening Feast, and he said he felt cold this morning when he woke up. He fell asleep again in a chair when we were all getting ready."

She nodded, tittering as she adjusted the sheets around Kiku's sleeping figure. "I told him, I did. I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking—dementors, guard a school of _children_! Nothing good is going to come out of that." She told them, gathering some bottles of medication from the nearby tables.

Blaise, Draco and Leon stood by awkwardly as she rummaged through bins and stirred concoctions together.

"There," The heavyset woman muttered lowly. "Almost—" She glanced up and frowned. "What are you three still doing here? Growing boys need their breakfasts, it's the most important meal of the day! The little one will be fine—now shoo! Go eat!"

Rather reluctantly, they left for the Great Hall, quietly filing through the giant oak doors and sitting next to Pansy, Maleficia, Will, Vincent, and Rodger. They frowned. "Is Kiku alright?"

"What happened? Where's Kiku?"

"Where is he, Leon? Is he still asleep?"

"Chill, guys." Blaise raised his hands in a defensive manner. "Kiku's fine. Just a little down from the dementor attack."

Draco cast his eyes over to the Gryffindor table, before shaking his head and muttering to himself. A few minutes later, Breakfast began and food magically appeared on the table. Will was just reaching for a platter of apple slices when Draco finished his meal and stood. "Oi, where you going, Malfoy?" Leon chastised good naturally, but frowned as he noticed the unsettled look on his friend's face. "Draco?"

The others looked up as Draco breathed out a soft sigh. "I'm...going to go talk to Potter..."

They said nothing, and watched as he continued to make his way over to the Gryffindor table. Students looked up in resentment as he passed them, glowering, and hateful crossed looks on their faces. Some just didn't care to even glance up while the blond Slytherin joined their table.

Weasley glared at him. "Sit at your own table, Malfoy." He spat out. Hermione hissed at him, scorning him to at least try and be pleasant, and Draco ignored them both.. Potter frowned at him. "What do you want?"

"I heard you were attacked by a dementor on the train the other day." Draco told them, staring at the oak table in front of them. "I want to know how you where well enough to come to breakfast."

The green-eyed boy's frown turned into a glare. "So, long story short; you're just here to torment me as usual, right?"

Draco clenched his fists, still not looking up. "No. My friend was attacked on the train as well. We had to bring him to the Infirmary this morning because he was ill. I want to know how you're okay, and he is not." This time, Draco looked up to find three sets of surprised eyes staring back at his determined ones. Well, two surprised sets, and one narrowed. Paranoid Weasleys.

"Well..." Potter started off uneasily as his two friends watched their conversation mutely. "I don't really know. All I did was eat a lot of chocolate, then when we arrived I went to Madam Pomfrey and she looked me over and gave me medicine. I was fine after that..."

Draco didn't answer at first. He stared back at the table thoughtfully. "... Thank you, Potter."

They, and many student near them, stared after him in shock as he stood up from the table and walked out of the hall, a group of Slytherins joining him at the door. Did Malfoy just thank Harry Potter?

**-E-S-**

Kiku stirred, muttering incoherently, before shooting up into a sitting position and gagging, pale blue eyes wide. There was a rather...disgusting taste in his mouth. Vile. Made him want to vomit. Yeah.

_**Oh my Aizen, BLEH! **_Murcielago screamed in rage.

Toshiro coughed, shuddering. _What is this monstrosity?_

**It _is _rather unsettling.** Hyorinmaru mused, wincing.

I hate it. It's horrible. Kiku squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced.

"Ah!" A voice shrieked. "You're awake! How do you feel?"

Kiku looked up in surprise to see a heavyset witch in a white robe and hat. "... Hm... I feel like you would when you can quote a movie or book down to every line of dialog even though you've never seen it..." He looked back at the plump witch who had shot him a odd look and stopped her bustling. "Um, I don't know. Weird? This stuff in my mouth is absolutely horrid."

"Oh, that's the medicine I gave you when those friends of yours brought you in. Feeling better, I hope?"

"I... yes, I do." Kiku nodded. At least he wasn't cold anymore, though that quip about the dialog of movies and books was rather out of the ordinary...

Murcielago snorted. _**Hn—yeah. You sounded like that old guy, Dumbledore. All twinkly eyes and **__**standing so straight with a stick up his—**_

_**Murcielago!**_ Hyorinmaru and Toshiro shouted. Kiku gasped and clutched his head, and the Matron's attention was immediately replaced in him.

_**Heh. Sorry.**_

She didn't _sound_ sorry.

_Just... urusai._

_**Only if you do.**_

… _Deal._

**Oh, thank the Lord!**

_**Not helping!~**_

"Are you alright, dear?" The Matron hovered over him with a worried frown upon her face, as if she was thoroughly irritated that she didn't know what was paining him.

"H-Hai..." Kiku mumbled, rubbing his temples.

She straightened up. "Okay, then. Just holler if you need anything," she called over her shoulder, stalking to the curtained office at the end of the lengthened white room.

Kiku nestled back down into the colorless sheets and pillows, closing his eyes. His first day, and he was already off to a terrible start.

**-E-S-**

Holy Mother of Jesus.

Malfoy had thanked him.

_Malfoy _had thanked him.

As in, _Draco Malfoy_.

Had expressed gratitude.

To _him_.

Harry Potter.

Well, it would've been just as shocking if _any _Malfoy had done it, but it was completely unexpected.

Hermione looked slightly pleased to find out that the Slytherin had some set of manners, however, small. Ron was openly gaping over at the doors of the Great Hall. Harry just went back to eating, perhaps a bit slower than before, musing over the recent events.

Ginny Weasly sat down next to them. "Was that Draco Malfoy just now?" At their nods, she continued. "Why was he over here? Where's Kiku? I didn't see him at the Slytherin table."

They looked up, eyes searching the emerald and silver table. She was right. The tiny Japanese transfer was nowhere in sight.

"What do you think think happened to him?" Ron whispered loudly in Harry's ear. "D'ya think e ran away from those gits? The other Slytherins?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't think so. It'd be a bit strange for the Slytherins to mistreat one of their own."

Hermione scowled at them. "Why would you think that at all, Ron? They wouldn't do such a thing! Perhaps he's only sleeping in. Try and think with a open mind."

Suddenly, Harry's head snapped up as he was hit with a rather worrying thought. "Do you think Kiku was the friend Draco was talking about? The one he and his roommates took to Madam Pomfrey?"

Hermione gasped softly. "Oh, I hope not! That would be a terrible way to begin his year at Hogwarts!"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe. You don't think he is, do you?" The redhead frowned. "Hope not. Seems like a good kid to me."

Harry just shook his head. "Me too. I don't want anything bad happening to him, for some reason. Doesn't that seem a little odd to you, though? We barely know him, but I feel like I'd want to protect him with my life."

"It _is _a bit strange." Ginny tapped her chin. "Remember when he screamed in the middle of the night and woke everyone in the Leaky Cauldron up? I felt my heart literally stop when I realized it had been him making the noise. I simply couldn't stand the thought of him being hurt."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I did as well. He's simply adorable, though." The brown haired girl suddenly smirked teasingly, elbowing her redheaded friend in the ribs. "Absolutely cute, I should say. Why don't you ask him out? He's only a year younger than you, and don't think I haven't caught the looks you've given him."

Ginny blushed as Hermione winked at her. "What—I-I don't... Hn!" She ducked her head.

Ron simmered. "You have a crush on him?! Why I... I... If... You..." The older boy sighed, slumping down in his seat dejectedly as his friends looked at him in surprise. "Nope. I can't do it. I can't be mad at that guy." Ron shook his head.

Harry raised an eyebrow, curious. "Well, now that's just interesting. I'd like to see how this year plays out..."

Hermione shot up then, a panicked look on her face, clutching her new schedule. "Oh! I'm going to be late for Muggle Studies! See you all later!" She ran out of the Hall, waving the white sheet of paper in her hand.

Her friends stared after her. Ron shook his head again, sitting up. "I still don't see how she's gonna be able to do all that."

Harry nodded. "I know. I mean, Muggle Studies and Arithmancy in the same hour?"

Ginny looked up in surprise. "What? Two classes an hour? I don't think even Hermione can even accomplish that..."

Harry settled back on the bench. "Yes. She's been doing that since third year. Me and Ron still can't figure out how. Whenever we ask her, though, she just laughs like it's all an inside joke and changes the subject. Ah well. I guess this year will be a lot more interesting than we though, eh?"

**-E-S-**

Kiku looked up from his bed in surprise as his friends ran into the infirmary with panicked expressions. Blaise and Will were supporting Draco between him. The latter was groaning, clutching his bloodied arm. Kiku paled. "W-What happened?"

Draco looked up with a pained look. "I... I angered a hippogriff. My fault, really. I should have listened to the... To Professor Hagrid..." The blond boy looked down with a guilty face as the Matron scolded him, examining the injury.

Blaise raised an eye at the Japanese boy. "Anyway, how you feeling?"

"Better." Kiku still stared at Draco, worried. "I-I'm not cold anymore..."

"That's good." Blaise nodded at him, sweeping some hair out of his tanned face with a grim smile. "You think you can come join us in classes soon?"

"Not until he is completely healthy!" The Matron snapped, helping Draco into a nearby bed. "And you, sir," she scolded the boy she had by they shoulders. "I'm going to call your father about this."

Draco sighed. "... I—okay..." Whatever he'd been originally going to say was quickly reversed as he saw the fierce look on the witch's face.

Kiku looked over at the group. "Leon?"

The copper haired boy blinked. "Yes, Kiku?"

Kiku stopped for a moment to examine the olive skinned boy before him. Sometimes it was hard to know exactly what skin tone Leon had, since the boy was usually in the shadows. His brown eyes were outlined with firm blue eyeliner, and he had the thickest eyelashes Kiku had ever seen. He wore a simple gray suit and Slytherin tie under his school robes, and he always wore those thick black and design-less boots with steel toes.

"...I-I want to go back to my bed. I don't like the smell here..." Kiku looked up. "Can you take me back?"

Will stepped forward then, and Kiku found himself looking him over next. Will had cocoa-tinted skin, and honey-colored eyes shadowed in long, auburn lashes. His hair was the same color, long, and tied back in a lose tail that rested at the back of his neck. Under his school robes, he wore khaki slacks, and a green and silver checkered sweater vest over a white turtleneck, along with a Slytherin tie. "I guess we'll have to ask Madam Pomfrey first. But if you want to..."

The Matron came over then, tittering good-naturally. Maleficia bounced forward. "Madam Pomfrey? Is Kiku well enough to be moved back to his dorm? He wants to sleep in his own bed, and I don't see anything wrong..." The pale-skinned girl looked at the woman through her pretty pale lashes. She had platinum hair almost as bright as Kiku's. She wore a green and silver plaid skirt beneath her robes, and a white dress shirt with a gold prefect badge pinned to the pocket. Her legs were covered by thigh-length white stockings, and she wore shiny black dress shoes.

The Matron hummed. "Well... Alright, I don't see why not..." She nodded. "Yes, I suppose that's alright. Go ahead. Just be careful, and if he starts feeling cold again, bring him back immediately."

They thanked her, and Blaise lifted Kiku into his arms. The Japanese boy was about to protest, saying he could walk on his on, but he stopped as soon as he realized how safe and warm the older student's grip was. Instead of objecting, he rested his capped head on Blaise's shoulder and closed his eyes.

_Yep. You're a weakling. _Toshiro sighed in defeat.

**Cheer up, Master 1. That used to be you! **Hyorinmaru hummed happily.

…

Murcielago snickered. **_Yeah, that didn't help. Like, at all._**

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in his, Leon, Draco, and Vincent's dorm. The aforementioned three Slytherins were absent, probably attending their scheduled classes, and Rin was sleeping contently on his chest. Kiku watched the tiny white smoke rings dance across his vision before disappearing into wisps as the dragon snored.

The pale eyes boy sighed, letting his head fall back down. There was an itching sensation, and he stretched back to see that his cap skullcap had fallen off, leaving his head slightly chilled.

Laying back down, he decided to go back to sleep and regain the energy he'd lost on his way over from Japan, and the time he had spent wandering Diagon Alley.

_**|Alice, Alice, the queen is raging. The Cheshire Cat with his smile fading. **_Murcielago hummed happily, though the tune was dark. **_Pawns, eight squares, now her majesty—|_**

_What the hell is that horrid noise? _Toshiro huffed, clapping his hands over his ears and glaring at the black-clad woman.

Said woman's eyes widened. _**Are you serious? Don't tell me you've never heard of Alice In Wonderland, Toshiro!**_

_I have no time for childrens' stories—_

_**Well, technically it's not the book. That song's on the movie's soundtrack, by 'Victim Effect'—lovely band by the way—and I just adore that particular since it puts me in a mood where—**_

_No one cares. _The Shinigami deadpanned.

**Master 1! **His weapon admonished, joining the conversation. **Can't we at least _try _and be polite?**

Murcielago made a noise in the back of her throat and turned around again. ___**Should we yet document audacity, your last allegations we write—|**_

_Shut __**up!**_

Well, at least he tried.

**-E-S-**

It wasn't until the following week that Draco and Kiku were able to join the classes once more. The first he attended, attached to Draco's robes (Blaise was with another group), was shared Potions with the Gryffindors. Though the maroon and gold-clad children cast looks of malice at their green and silver-backed classmates, they spared Kiku the hate, instead fixing him with attention and adoration.

Professor Snape gave them the task of mixing together the Shrinking Potion, a fairly easy assignment. He was, as the rest of the class, shocked to find that Kiku was a prodigy. At least, he was in Potions. He'd completed the mix in under thirty seconds, not counting the three minutes it took to brew. He smiled contently, peering around at the others' gray mists as a silver curtain wafted up from his own cauldron.

"Mr, Sohma, I am thoroughly impressed!" Snape congratulated the boy, brows disappearing under his bangs. "Never have I seen such mastery."

"Arigato, Snape-sensei." Kiku bowed, a pale blush upon his face, before clinging to Draco's robes once again. The affection he showed to his friends was truly heartwarming. The other students, as well as most of the teachers themselves, found that they wanted such trust and attention from the younger(or, in the first and second year's cases, _older_) boy as well.

After the class ended, they all made their way to the Great hall for lunch. Defense Against the Dark Arts was next. They'd heard great things about Professor Lupin, and Professor Moody.

But Kiku was quiet as he stared down at his plate of Onigiri, frowning softly. Toshiro, Hyorinmaru, even _Murcielago _had confessed to feeling off. Like something bad was going to happen. They couldn't shake the sense of foreboding off.

"Kiku, you're not still ill, are you?" Blaise frowned down at the small child attached to his robes.

"N-No." Kiku shook his head rapidly. "I just... I'm scared."

Draco stopped eating to look up in concern. "About what?"

"DADA. I don't know what's going to happen." The tiny boy shuddered. "What-what if it's frightening? Is it?"

Will tapped his chin. "Well... Maybe, sometimes. I don't know about the new teachers yet. I guess we'll just have to find out."

Draco wrapped his arms around Kiku and pulled the shaking third-year into his lap. "It's okay. If you get scared, I'll be there. Will, Leon, Vince, and Rod too. Nothing to be afraid of, kay?"

Kiku looked down abashedly. "O-Okay..."

They wouldn't know until the class itself, however.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Yush! It is done! XD Wow~**

**Anyway, here are the footnotes to this chapter:**

**I know the Slytherin****(Beta's Note: either common room or dungeon – your choice)**** is UNDER the lake, and therefore cold and clammy, but I decided to get creative and switch things around a bit, and put it overlooking the lake instead. Get it, got it? Good.**

**This here is a little shoutout. I am aware I overload this fic with major fluff. I like it that way, so if you feel like you're gonna puke from either happiness or disgust, please exit the metaphorical room quickly and quietly, as to not disturb the other readers. Thank you.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! I am waiting for my beta top beta it, so all the typos you catch now will soon be taken care off, no worries. ****(Beta's Note: I'm even editing your author's note… :P I apologize.)**

**Anyway, Please read and review! Reviews make me happy, and fuel my self-esteem to give me the motivation to write more!**

**And... That's all I can think of to write! Love you all, my fear fans. You are fantastic! Virtual cookies to you all!**

**Btw, the cover image is what I imagined Kiku to look like, more or less. It's not exact, but I searched for it for a long time, so it'll have to do for now until I can find a good artist who gives free commissions and ask for a few. The current one does not belong to me. But it's seriously close to what Kiku should look like.**

**Well, would you look at that! I guess I did have something to say after all. Heh~!**

**~EpikalStorms***


	5. Brain W-Fi

Fear was an erratic thing to behold. Some knew exactly what brought about this peculiar feeling in them, while others only wished they knew. Most go their whole lives living in ignorance of what they were afraid of, though some found out quite early in their lives. It was especially difficult to figure out the cause of the fears when you were afraid of everything that jumped out at you—like one Kiku Sohma was.

Draco was, safe to say, freaking out. Of course, he had a fairly good reason to justify this state. Professor Lupin was almost firm in his role of teaching the _younger _years, and Draco Malfoy was in fifth year; not his third, like Kiku was.

But after a while of watching Kiku's knuckles turn white from their death grip on Draco's robes, Lupin had given in, passing them a note of approval to hand in to Professor Moody once they entered their class.

Kiku looked up shyly at Draco as they walked down the quickly emptying corridors. "Where are we going now, Draco-kun?"

The older boy glanced down and smiled kindly, an act he was surprised to find himself doing a lot lately. "We're off to Defense Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Moody, remember? After that, we'll be let out for the rest of the day for our free time before dinner, then we'll have an hour before we have to go to Astronomy."

Kiku nodded, and they continued walking down the halls. They entered the classroom and sat down—just in time too, it appeared. The man, Professor Moody, slammed the door shut about three seconds later, causing the students to jump in surprise.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" They jumped once again, and a few of the others appeared to be choking on their spit as the auburn haired man with a receding hairline roared. Kiku paled, and clutched tightly to Draco's cloak.

(I am skipping the class. Deal wif it, suckers. XP)

**Well, that was certainly interesting, **Hyorinmaru mused thoughtfully.

_**Interesting? **_His demonic inner mind-mate chided incredulously. _**That was positively wicked!**_

Toshiro stretched with a cat-like yawn. _Even so, I wouldn't be surprised if that so-called "Professor" wasn't who he claimed to be._

Kiku walked along Draco's side as they met up with his normal group of friends. What do you mean, Toshiro-kun?

_What I mean is, _the snowy-haired captain explained, —_well, didn't you notice that dark aura surrounding him? It couldn't be for the "good" side, I'll say that._

_**He **__**did **__**have that "come to the dark side, we have cookies' feeling, come to think of it.**_

**Lies, all of it, **Hyorinmaru muttered. **Not one pastry was there.**

_**What the hell are you—**_

_Yesss! Hollow at three o'clock, three miles off to the north!_

W-What? Isn't that a bad thing?

_Well, this means I won't be dead-bored anymore, so...eh._

_**Way to be caring.**_

**Now, how are we going to do this?**

_I don't care. We can just blame it on the dementors if "Kiku" suddenly passes out in the middle of a corridor, right?_

_**Right!**_

**Now wait a minute, there, I don't think—**

Kiku's eyes widened comically as he felt a cool sensation sweep over his being. He clutched to Draco's robes tighter, and paled dramatically as one Hitsugaya Toshiro leaped out of his body.

What the—what are you _doing_? Kiku stared at the other in horror.

Inside of his mind, Murcielago frowned. _**Well, **__**that **__**was boring~!**_

Toshiro's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. _The hell? But you're not even real! _Now that he was separated from his "body", his voice sounded a bit echoic to Kiku.

**Apparently, he is, **Hyorinmaru chided, his voice in the same form. **Can't we just go take care of the Hollow now and think this all over tonight?**

_...Alright. But when I get back, _the white-haired Shinigami thrust a finger in Kiku's direction accusingly, _I want to know exactly what the fuck just happened._

With that, the small death-god hefted Hyorinmaru onto his shoulder and sprinted right through Leon, who didn't even blink as he joined the others in staring worriedly at Kiku.

_**Well... Okay then.**_

"Kiku? You alright?" Blaise was kneeling in front of him, frowning. "You're eyes were glazed over again."

Kiku inwardly cringed. What do I tell them?

_**Well, I'm not really a good person to go to for advice, but I'll try. Um... ADHD? Tell them you have... No, that won't work...**_

"Kiku?" Will leaned forward. "You there?"

"Um..." Please hurry!

_**I'm working on it! Erm... Autism? Nah, we don't wanna mess you up any more than we already have... Oh! **_Kiku refused to give into the urge of eye-twitching as the demonic sword snapped her cocoa tinted fingers. _**Hyperfocus! Yeah... Try that?**_

How should I say it?

_**Dude, I'm using Wikipedia, how should I know?**_

My brain has internet?

_**Hell yeah! It's fucking awesome—**_

"Kiku? Hello?" Blaise was snapping his fingers in front of his face.

"Maybe we should take him back to the nurse..."

"N-No!" Kiku yelped, causing the plotting teens to jump in surprise and look back at him. "I'm okay! I-I... I just have, you know... Hyperfocus?"

Maleficia's face smoothed out in understanding. "Ohhh, okay. Sorry, we didn't know. Makes sense, though."

Kiku gulped silently, clutching onto Blaise's robes. Oh, Kami—

_**Haha, yes! I'm a genius!**_

"Hyperfocus?" Rodger frowned.

Maleficia straightened up and cleared her throat, raising a finger into the air; the appearance of all knowledge. "Hyperfocus is an intense form of mental concentration or visualization that focuses the consciousness on a certain subject, separate from objective reality and onto subjective mental planes, daydreams, concepts, fiction, the imagination, and other objects of the mind."

The others stared, minds attempting to comprehend. "...Ah..."

Murcielago grinned. _**Dude, that's exactly what Wikipedia said.**_

… And you have no idea what that means, do you?

_**Not a clue.**_

Kiku bit back a groan, following the now reassured group of Slytherins to their common room.

**-E-S-**

Toshiro came back sometime during dinner. Kiku tried his best not to glance up as his almost-twin sidled next to him and disappeared once he touched, or tried to touch, his shoulder.

After they readjusted themselves, Toshiro opened his mouth and—

**Nope. Not until tonight, **his dragon friend warned.

The mouth snapped shut.

_**Oh, that. We came up with an excuse for dear wittle Kiku's zone-out sessions. No worries.**_

Toshiro raised an eyebrow. _And how did this come about?_

Murcielago grinned. _**Dude, this place has **__**internet. **__**Can you believe it?**_

No, he could not. Well, at least, Hyorinmaru couldn't.

**What?! **The beast wailed. **I spent all those years in this white place of boredom, waiting and waiting and waiting for Shiro-pon to become intelligent enough to hear me for **_**nothing**_**!?**

_Hey! I __**told **__you not to __**call **__me that!_

_**Awww, that is the cutest nickname in the world! **_the demonic blade cooed.

Kiku sighed, biting into his rice slowly. He still wasn't very hungry.

_**Omigosh! I can use Youtube? Hey, Kiku, what type of music do you like? Wait, no, you guys need to listen to 'Alice, Alice' still.**_

There was a screeching sound, silent to everyone else in the Great Hall, and Kiku grasped his head, hissing. Blaise caught his wrists in worry. "Kiku?"

"N-Nothing!~" He smiled shakily, whipping his hands away from the other's grasp.

_What the hell was that?_

_**Sorry, it had to connect. **_The silky haired beaut admitted sheepishly. _**Now, where was I... Ah! Here we go...**_

Kiku stopped eating, and his eyes widened as music sounded clearly in his mind. Then,

_|Should we yet document audacity, your last allegations we write.  
With yet another man-made miracle, this borders on the spiritual._

_It's time we came to fight.  
And should be open our eyes then we'd know._

_That the lines we once drew in the sand turned to stone.  
If we ever held back what we write_

_Then our message is clear, my dear: this all ends tonight.  
Yes, we are._

_We're cutting close as you stare at the scenery._

_Truth, we write._

_Always colorful, cutting and cold.  
Yes, we lie._

_And we see eye to eye through you stand at the feet of me._

_And so, tonight means goodbye as the story was told.  
Alice, Alice the queen is raging._

_The Cheshire cat with his smile fading.  
A pawn. Eight. Squares. Now her majesty._

_We're curious to know which hole you followed the white rabbit down  
Yes, we are._

_We're losing some friends and we're changing the scenery._

_Truth, we find._

_Always colorful, cutting the cold.  
Yes, we lied._

_We knew you were destined for underachieving._

_And so, tonight means goodbye as the story is told.  
Alice, Alice, the queen is raging._

_The Cheshire cat with his smile fading.  
A pawn. Eight. Squares. Now her majesty._

_We're curious to know which hole you followed the white rabbit down  
We'd step through the looking glass now._

_So... Should we yet document audacity, your last allegations we write..._

_We write!|_

Then, there was silence. Kiku glanced around the hall, but it appeared that no one but him had heard the song.

Toshiro was growling, and the trance they'd all been in shattered. _The hell was that?_

Murcielago smirked victoriously. _**That, my friend, was a world-wonder called 'Youtube'.**_

**It really has internet... **Hyorinmaru swayed dangerously. **It really, really does...**

… I liked that song. Are there more like it? Kiku inquired curiously. It _was_ good.

_No! No more!_

_**Hm, more by Victim Effect, or just more awesome gloomy Alice songs?**_

Alice songs...

_**Kaaay!~ So, we've got one by Shinedown called "Her Name is Alice", then an awesome Plain White T's song called "Welcome to Mystery. Which one ya want?**_

**Oh! I love Plain White T's. Do that one!**

_**Nu-uh! It's Kiku's brain wi-fi we're using, let him decide!**_

_It's MINE! Kiku's not real!_

That's okay, Hyo-chan. We can do that one, I don't mind.

_And no one listens to me..._

_**Hm, sounds good. A-okay!~**_

They spent the rest of dinner and until Astronomy listening to dark and gloomy-sounding Alice in Wonderland themed songs. It was amazing how many there were, if you had time to search for them. **(1)**

And the rest of the students could only wonder what Kiku's "hyperfocus" strayed to. If only they knew...

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Okay, so I decided to stop right here, since I don't know when my computer gets taken away at night (yes, a tragic fate for me, I know), and I wanted to give you all at least SOMETHING!**

**(1) I am aware I kinda sorta maybe got a little carried away down that bunny trail, but how awesome would it be if we all had brain computers? Don't ask me where Murcielago got the laptop, 'cause I don't know.**

**Speaking of Murcielago, I still haven't figured out why the hell she's in Kiku's mind. I'm totally winging this story the whole way, FYI. The only thing I've written beforehand was that first little paragraph of this chapter. I really only wrote this x-over as a release for my fluff urges. Ya know, I can't write fluffy chapters for serious and no-nonsense stories, and I have serious fluff spazzes sometimes, so I created this little outlet for the crave, and was, like, totally surprised when I found that someone actually liked it! Wow! Thanks you guys, you're all awesome!**

**SHOUTOUT TO DRAGON SILHOUETTE! THANK YOU LOTS FOR BETAing! I WUV YOU! *glomp***

**Anyway, now that that taken care of... That's it, really. Nothing else to say!**

**Except! If you want to review, please log in! I can't answer questions, or respond if I can't PM you! And I don't wanna clutter up my chapters with Review Responses either, so... yeah. Log in. Or don't bother reviewing at all.**

**...Okay, I take that back. I'd like it if you'd log in, please, but any ol' review would be nice. Seriously. REVIEW!~~~**

**Kaaaay! I'm done now. Thanks!**

**~EpikalStorms***

**[Beta's note: … Internet and Youtube inside his inner world? Hyperfocus? This chapter is just plain **_**weird (**_**in a good way!)]**

_**[Author's Note to Beta's Note: Yes, I suppose it is. Blame Youtube. Or better yet, blame Victim Effect for creating such an awesome song. I was listening to it over and over again while writing this so... yeah, that MAY be why there was a strong "Alice in Wonderland" type feel to this paticular chapter... heh. But seriously; it'd be F*ING AWESOME to have internet in your BRAIN. Like, totally.]**_


	6. Interlude 1: A Discussion

"Alright," Toshiro leaned forward, peering into Kiku's face. "What are you, how did you get here, how are you even _here_, and why does my life always have to be so damn difficult like this?!"

They were sitting in the Forbidden Forest, during Kiku's free period. It was the day after Toshiro and Hyorinmaru had taken care of the first Hollow to get on Hogwarts grounds, and Toshiro really wanted to know what was going on. Draco, Blaise, Will, Leon, and the others had Charms at the moment, and where all slightly bothered by the fact that they had to leave poor little Kiku all by his lonesome little self, but Toshiro had managed to force Kiku to persuade them that it was fine.

"Um, I'm Kiku Sohma," Kiku lifted a finger to his chin shyly, looking at his almost-twin. "I don't know how I got here, I've been tagging along in your mind, remember? I don't know how I got here, but I think it has something to do with the fact that your life was very shady and confusing ever since you were born and up to the point when you died. As for the last part—I have absolutely no clue, sorry."

Currently, Toshiro had stepped out of their shared gigai to talk with him face to face. They'd learned that, when Toshiro separated from Kiku, Hyorinmaru went with Toshiro, but Murcielago stayed back with Kiku. Toshiro had changed ever so slightly since the end of the Winter War. In appearance, that is. Actually, he looked exactly like the gigai he'd been inhabiting with Kiku for the past two months or so, except his hair was snow white, his eyes teal, and he had a small, thing, silvery scar that ran from below his left temple, down his jawline, his neck, and disappeared to just below his collar.

The other boy leaned back again, trapping his chin in a hand in the universal thinking pose, staring at him with calculating eyes. "How do you know about how my life when I was living was like?" He interrogated.

Kiku shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know! All I remember about _my _life is being born, being named, then all of _this_!" The younger (probably) boy waved his arms in the air, gesturing around them. "Except, not." He turned to stare hard at a silent Toshiro. "I _do _remember watching someone who looked like me... You. I watched you. Your life... So... I'm not you?" He asked, confused.

_**You seem to be able to talk just fine and confident right now...**_ Murcielago observed.

Kiku breathed in, I don't know why. I just don't feel scared right now.

_**Hm, maybe that's because there's only one other conscious in your head now that Toshiro and Hyo-chan moved out momentarily...? I guess the stress of that might have something to do with that feeling.**_

I guess...

"Watching me?" Toshiro frowned. "But how... Wait!" His eyes widened. "Could... I..."

"Toshiro-kun?" Kiku tilted his head. "What's wrong?"

_**Maybe he's having a flashback! Ooooh, I love it when this happens! I remember when Ichigo-baka had one when he was fighting Master, and had this big realization during it, then he got all mega powerful and hit Master so hard he... died... Oh, hhh... **_She sniffed, suddenly nostalgic.

So that's why you're here... Kiku mused, listening to the woman suddenly dissolve into long-held back tears. He turned his attention away, giving her some privacy, and looked on, waiting for Toshiro to snap out of whatever he was remembering...

_bbbbbbbbbbb_

Could he? But that's not possible, his parents wouldn't lie to him, and everyone, and themselves, would they? There was no way...

Once, many many centuries ago, there was a man named Vladimir Sohma_. _He was very rich, very powerful, important, and influential. He was royalty, of the highest degree. He had a wife named Zarafine, who was pregnant with twin boys, both expected to be as powerful and handsome as their father, if not more.

But tragedy soon struck. One of the twin's, the first born—the one they were going to name Kiku—he died soon after he was born, due to weakness, and a frail body that couldn't withstand being out of his mother's womb yet. The parents were heartbroken, as it was viewed as terrible luck that brought death and downfall upon parents whose firstborn died before they even took more than three breaths. This was common knowledge among the Russians of that time.

So, desperately wanting the curse to leave them be, Vladimir and Zarafine tried their best to cover up Kiku's death, taking the second twin, a healthy baby boy that had seemed the opposite of his frail older brother, gave him his dead siblings name, and told the world that Zara had only been pregnant with one child.

But it all changed when Kiku turned twelve. That's when the powerful, ancient magic realized what Vladimir and Zarafine had done to avoid the curse, and Magick lashed out, taking Kiku—or should we say, Toshiro's—life in the process. Weeks later, the Sohma line dies out unexpectedly quick, but Magick allowed no one to touch their riches or power.

Magick stored the power of the Sohma's in Toshiro's spirit just before a Shinigami managed to konso him. And just before he traveled to the Soul Society, the real Kiku's spirit was sealed inside Toshiro as well. This is why we are all faced with such a mystery today. Kiku Sohma had finally woken.

_Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb_

"You're—You're my _brother_." Toshiro finally cried. Kiku was taken aback. Out of all the things he'd thought Toshiro would say after his time mulling this all over, he certainly hadn't expected _that_. "W-What?"

And so Toshiro told him what he'd figured out. Soon, the young Shinigami was sitting on the forest floor, hugging his knees to his chest and scowling at the ground. "My whole life was a complete lie. Do you know how _empty _that makes me feel?"

"There, it's alright," Kiku patted him on the back. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad! It's not like you were suspended in space and time, watching someone live your own life as if nothing was wrong, right?"

Toshiro—his _brother_. It was so weird thinking that for some reason, still—looked up at him, annoyed. "Yeah. Makes me feel _so _much better." Then he frowned. "Hey... Come out."

"Huh?" Kiku jerked back. "Wh-What do you mean?"

"I _mean_," he admonished. "That's a _gigai_. You know? Come out. Like I did, see?" He gestured down at himself.

"O-Okay..." Kiku concentrated, and soon, three boys that looked so alike it was almost Fred-George/George-Fred scary were all sitting in the clearing. Toshiro stared at Kiku, then looked at the gigai. _They looked exactly the same. _

"You know," he started. "Kurotsuchi really is scary sometimes. Maybe he's psychic, or something."

Kiku nodded, staring down at himself. "Well, I'd never really noticed. It looked so much like me, that I thought it was me after a while, and I kind of forgot that that scientist made it in the first place..."

They heard a bell sound in the distance, and Kiku and Toshiro both jerked into a standing position. "Oh no!" They cried in unison. "Free periods over!"

They froze, then turned to stare at each other.

_**Dudes. Creepy.**_

**Yes, very.**

_**Oh, hey Hyo-chan! When did you get back?**_

**While you were mulling over how creepy the Masters were, Master 1 and Master two got back in the gigai. We are heading back to the school now.**

_**Ah, I see. Heh, we're not suppose to be in these woods anyway, right?**_

**No, we're not. We could get in trouble if we were caught.**

_**Cool.**_

Hyorinmaru snorted. After a while f silence, waiting for Kiku to walk back to the castle in the once again crowded gigai, he frowned, turning to his female mind-mate. **Hey, about your Master...** She stiffened. **… Is he really dead?**

She was quiet for a moment, and Toshiro and Kiku tuned into their conversation, curious. _**Yeah. That Ichigo-baka killed him when he and that Quincy came to save that Orihime girl. I don't really know what happened. He was there, and then, all of a sudden, he just dissolved, blew away, and wasn't. So, I came here.**_

_So, you came here, told us you were 'chilling', even if you didn't even know if you were actually ever gong to __**leave **__or not? _Toshiro asked, anger spiking.

Stop it, please, Toshiro-kun. Kiku pleaded. Leave her alone.

**Hey! I got a good idea! Why don't you become Kiku's zanpaktou, Murci-chan?**

She perked up considerably quickly. _**OMG! Yes! Yes yes yes! Please Kiku, sweetie? Please? You're, like, my favorite person ever! Please, oh please, oh please, oh please?**_

Um, I-I, Kiku blushed furiously. S-Sure, Murcielago-chan. Anything you want.

She cheered. _**BEST. DAY. EVER!**_

_Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb_

**Yeah, I know this chapter is incredibly short, but at least I made the plot way more interesting, right? Kay.**

**Yeah.**

**Waffles.**

**Review.**

**And waffles.**

**~EpikalStorms***


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